Ombuds clears CPA officer from charges

CEBU, Philippines – For lack of probable cause, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has dismissed criminal and administrative complaints filed against an industrial security officer of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA).

Graft investigator and prosecution officer II Eleanor Tayad-De Mira cleared Adolfo Abregana assigned at the port of Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City for grave threats, grave coercion, abuse of authority, oppression and misconduct.

De Mira ruled there were inconsistencies in the evidence presented by the complainant, Mervin Ramos, a security guard of GDS Security and Detective Agency, Inc., assigned at the CPA.

“This Office observes that other than the fact that the complaint is not supported by the account of any witness, the allegations contained in the complaint somehow differ in details from the naration of complainant as contained in the Incident Report prepared by no less than complainant himself,” read the joint-resolution.

In his complaint, Ramos alleged that on June 10, 2014 at around 6 a.m., Abregana arrived very angry and was looking for him.

He said when Abregana saw him, the former forcefully and violently disarmed him by grabbing his service shotgun. Abregana also allegedly waived his 9mm pistol at him and warned him not to report to CPA authorities.

Abregana denied the allegations filed against him. He claims that the complaints filed against him were a form of harassment.

With the foregoing facts, De Mira ruled in favor of Abregana. She said there were inconsistencies in the complaint-affidavit and the incident report made by Ramos.

“In his complaint, complainant stated that early in the morning of June 10, 2014 Abregana forcefully and violently grabbed my service shotgun from my hand and disarmed me. In the incident report prepared by complainant, there is no mentioned of a forceful and violent grabbing of firearm,” the joint-resolution read.

De Mira said there was no evidence to prove that Abregana committed the allegations filed by Ramos. —/ATO (FREEMAN)