Parañaque police chief suspended

Parañaque City police chief Superintendent Ruben Catabona was placed under preventive suspension for 90 days yesterday by Southern Police District (SPD) chief Superintendent Jose Gutierrez Jr. after an investigating body found prima facie evidence in an administrative case filed against him.

Superintendent Wency Pascual of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class ’81 was named officer-in-charge of the city police.

"If the case involves a subordinate and a superior, a preventive suspension is ordered so as not to give undue advantaged to the superior," Gutierrez explained his decision in a phone interview.

He added that his decision was based on the results of the pre-charge investigation conducted by an investigating body from the SPD.

Gutierrez said the case would still be elevated to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

A certain Emily Cruz of Tambo, Parañaque and a former staff member of Catabona’s office filed an administrative case against the police chief and accused him of sexual harassment.

Catabona said in a phone interview that he felt that some of his colleagues seemed to be after his position. He dismissed Cruz’s allegation as part of a "demolition job" against him.

In an earlier interview, Catabona said the allegation was old news revived to distract him from performing his duties.

The charge, he said, resurfaced after police raided a big shabu laboratory in an exclusive subdivision in Parañaque. – Nikko Dizon