Stuntman held at EDSA shrine

For illegally wearing a police uniform, a movie stuntman landed in jail.

Police arrested over the weekend a 33-year-old fake policeman trying to sneak into the EDSA shrine in Mandaluyong City where President Arroyo and other government officials were hearing Mass marking the People Power 1 celebration.

It turned out that the suspect, Basilio Caubalijo, was a movie stuntman, who had just come from location-shooting of a movie.

But his alibi did not spare Caubalijo from jail.

Superintendent Antonio Aguilar, Eastern Police District (EPD) criminal investigation division (CID) chief said Caubalijo will be charged today with usurpation of authority and illegal use of police uniform and insignia in the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office.

Caubalijo, of 7 Puyong St., Agurdinte, Novaliches, Quezon City, was wearing an incomplete police uniform and carrying a black traveling bag when accosted by policemen at the main entrance of the EDSA shrine at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

"I just dropped by to attend Mass," Caubalijo reasoned out but his pleading fell on deaf ears.

Police searched Caubalijo’s bag for bombs before whisking him to the EPD CID office along Meralco Avenue.

Some 2,000 policemen were deployed along EDSA shrine and its surroundings to prevent various cause-oriented groups from disrupting the ongoing mass officiated by Fr. Socrates Villegas. Those in attendance were President Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, chairman Benjamin Abalos, of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and other government officials.

Caubalijo yielded a policeman’s patch and a badge. He was also wearing a black vest.

During interrogation, Caubalijo admitted that he is not a real cop but a stuntman who was playing the role of a cop in a movie. However, he failed to give the name of the movie.

A background check showed that Caubalijo was facing sexual harassment charges at the Central Police District filed last year but was released after posting bail.

He, too, was slapped with physical injury charges at Puerto Galera, Mindoro Occidental in 1999. Caubalijo is presently detained at the Pasig City police detention center. – Non Alquitran