Cop allegedly in drugs reports

CEBU, Philippines - The intelligence branch of the Cebu City Police Office has confirmed that PO3 Ruben Perater, the cop who landed in jail for drugs and indiscriminate firing, has figured in reports the office received about alleged involvement in illegal activities.

“We are still gathering more evidence as prior to the incident we already received reports on it,” Supt. Romeo Santander told The Freeman in a phone interview.

Santander said they also received complaints of physical injuries against Perater, but no case was filed against him as no complainant surfaced.

Even the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 has also reportedly received the same report about Perater’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

CIB will subject Pe-rater to a drug test today.

Perater wounded a man when he fired his gun indiscriminately midnight last Sunday in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City. He, however, surrendered his M16 baby armalite, caliber .45 and 9mm pistols.

The CIB responded a report when residents in the barangay heard a burst of gunfire without knowing it was Perater whom they will be arresting that night.

Police were forced to arrest Perater and his three male companions. It was then that they learned Perater was a cop assigned at the Waterfront Police Station.

Aside from the firearms, four huge packs of suspected shabu worth around P100,000 were also seized from Perater’s possession.

In an earlier interview with The Freeman, Perater admitted firing his gun.

“Ni-return fire lang ko to demoralize the personnel didto (there),” he said.

The policeman said he just wanted to have lights installed by his companions in the apartment, which he just bought for P750,000 from one Junjun Baldesamo.

“Pag-3 nagpinirmahay mi unya pag-4 ni-take over nako but nasuko siya kay gi-pressure daw nako og pahawa ang tua didto. Didto man lang ko gabii kay patauran unta og kur-yente kay giputlan man niya og kuryente didto. (On Nov, 13, we signed the papers for the sale of the apartment unit and the next day I took over as the new owner. He got angry because I was allegedly pressuring the occupants to already leave. I was just there to have power restored by my companions because he had it cut off),” Pe-rater said, referring to Baldesamo.

Perater said he has the documents to prove his claim and that Santander and his men should have arrested Baldesamo for trespas-sing and not him.

“Nahiubos lagi ko nila kay ila kong giunay pagdakop. (I’m disappointed with my fellow policemen for arresting me),” he said.

A case for frustrated murder is set to be filed anytime today as soon as authorities receive the result of the chemical analysis by the Phi-lippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug. The firearms are also being verified.

“We might file the criminal case for frustrated murder tomorrow (today),” Santander said.

Aside from the criminal case, the CIB will also file an administrative case against Perater. —/JMO (FREEMAN)