3 police officials face raps for using vehicle

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division-7 has recommended the filing of charges against three police officials for allegedly using a vehicle under their custody while at the Theft and Robbery Section of the city police office.

The division recommended the filing of a grave misconduct charge against Chief Insp. Noli Cernio and a less grave neglect of duty charge against Sr. Insp. Elisandro Quijano and Insp. William Alicaba.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas of RIDM pointed out that while they respect the recommendation of the Cebu City Intelligence Detection and Management Branch, there were reportedly certain things that the Cebu City IDMB was not able to consider.

“After the review of the case, we found out that certain circumstances were not taken into consideration,” Lawas said.

For example, he said, Cernio allegedly used the vehicle personally and brought it to his residence in Cordova town.

Both investigating bodies, nevertheless, agreed that both Alicaba and Quijano committed less grave neglect of duty for not being able to turn the recovered vehicle over to the nearest Highway Patrol Group office.

Lawas said the administrative charges will be filed before the Discipline, Law and Order Section (DLOS) for the summary hearing to proceed. The investigator assigned to the case at the RIDMD will prosecute the same at the DLOS.

The summary hearing officer will then make a recommendation to the regional director on possible sanctions, but the findings will be subject to appeal before the Regional Appellate Board at the National Police Commission (Napolcom) regional office within 15 days.

The investigation against the three policemen was opened after the Cebu City IDMB received a complaint accusing Cernio of using the recovered vehicle personally. The anonymous complainant alleged that Cernio brought the vehicle to his residence in Cordova.

The Freeman tried to get Cernio’s comment but he was not available yesterday. The media also tried to interview Alicaba yesterday but he declined to comment.

Cernio has since denied the allegations and said he only used the vehicle purely for operational matters since TRS has no patrol car.

In an earlier interview, he said that he never brought the vehicle home but admitted using it in filing cases and for a surveillance operation.

He said that after he was assigned to the Punta Princesa Police Station, he brought the car to a repair shop. The mechanic allegedly delivered the car to the Punta Princesa Police Station but it was turned over to Cebu City Police Office. – (FREEMAN)