THE POLICEMAN who nabbed a mayor’s man in a Comelec checkpoint last week is in hot waters himself, after he was put on “restricted” status by city PNP director Sr. Supt. Nilo Donaire, for alleged police brutality.
PO3 Richard Alvero said he does not really know what the complaint filed against him was, since he does not have a copy of the complaint yet, but is already on “restricted” status. He had also given up his issue firearm, he added.
During the time of the interview on the evening of Friday, March 12, Alvero said that he was already preparing to bring his things to the Ormoc City Police Office at Camp Downes, where he will be put in freezer.
However, he added, he heard from informal channels that he would be facing a complaint for police brutality from two suspects of a theft incident that happened early morning of Sunday, March 8.
This was confirmed by Sr. Insp. Joseywells Estopin, the new police chief of the city police station one. Estopin said that putting Alvero on “restricted” status was a standard operating procedure, to avoid speculations of whitewash and further accusations of the cop harassing the complainants.
While at the OCPO, he informed, Alvero’s movements will be limited to the camp premises and can only be allowed to get out under very special circumstances and strict supervision.
Meanwhile, it was learned that the complaint against Alvero was subscribed at the city prosecutor’s office late afternoon of Friday, March 12. The complaint has not been formally filed yet, it was learned, even as docket number was already assigned to it.
The EV Mail also attempted to contact Donaire for an interview on the issue, but SPO4 Jong Oliva, OCPO public relations officer, said he was not around and will just get back to this reporter when he comes in. They did not.
The complaint against Alvero reportedly comes from two suspects who were caught at the public market by the React team, for allegedly filching money from a farmer who sold his cassava there.
They are Edmar Cortez, 21, of Brgy. Naungan and Jonie Mangle, 36. Sources at the prosecutor’s office here said they remember the same Cortez as having faced two previous complaints in their office, only the charges were dismissed in court after the complainants did not show up.
The police blotter of the incident shows that at around 2:10 dawn of March 7, the victim Rodrigo dela Cruz y Espinoza, 56, a resident of Brgy. (Green) Valley, reported personally to the station that his bag was slashed and more or less P2,000 in sales taken from him. He even added that he had to sleep overnight at the market because he wanted to sell all his produce the next day, without spending for more fare money coming to and fro, and now his sales money was stolen.
Alvero, who was desk officer that time, said he immediately dispatched the React team to the public market. The blotter further shows that at the market, the React team picked up one of the suspects, Edmar Cortez who “was rescued by market guard while being beaten by several bystanders”.
When Cortez was turned over to the station, Alvero added, he already sported bruises from apparently being beaten up at the public market.
Alvero added that his only interaction with Cortez was just to receive him from the React team. He did not even handle the investigation which was first done by PO3 Keneth Valley, then turned over the next day to PO3 Mark Ruita.
Why he is now facing a complaint baffles him, he added. Nonetheless, Alvero added he is not new to pressure, and has weathered several complaints filed against him in his nine years of being assigned to Ormoc, six of which were filed against him during the time of then Mayor Carmelo J. Locsin after he arrested a relation of Hermilo Tolibao, Locsin’s close aide during his time.
All has been dismissed ever since, he said, and given the chance, he will continue to do his job as a policeman – to uphold the law and enforce it, without fear or favor. By Lalaine M. Jimenea
Cop who nabbed mayor’s man now on “restricted” status, faces police brutality
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nagpakita lang gyud ang nagpaluyo sa ani nga tawo nga nadakpan nga tawo sa USA ka Politiko kung unsa sila kaabusado sa ilang posisyon. Pustahay ta ang comelec dili na mupasaka ug kaso sa ato nga tawo o dili gali mawala na lamang kini nga isyu nga mura ug asu.
Sa pulis nga gipasakahan ug kaso nga police brutality bilib ko nimo brod ayaw atras brod kay muabot ang panahon nga mailisan na ang mga naglignkod diri sa atong syudad ug sila nga tanan miabusar sa balaod mawagtang pud diri sa atong syudad kung di man sa ilawom sayuta adto sa mangitngit nga dapit.
Sobra na ang pag abusar sa mga tawo diri sa atong syudad karon kinahanglan na gyud ang pag bag.o.