Tells criminals to ‘go straight’: Dumpit returns

CEBU, Philippines - Controversial policeman Senior Police Officer 1 Adonis Dumpit has finally been released from jail and is now in Cebu City ready to fight the lawless elements.

The 53-year-old Dumpit walked out of the Leyte Regional Prisons in Abuyog town, without any escorts, shortly before noon yesterday after the Bureau of Corrections in Manila approved his release.

Leyte Regional Trial Court Judge Carlos Arguilles earlier issued the release order of Dumpit after the Court of Appeals granted the policeman's plea to post a bail bond and allow him to enjoy temporary liberty while waiting for the resolution of his appeal to the court's decision that convicted him of homicide for the death of a minor in 2004.

Miguel Osmeña, the son of Cebu City mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña, personally rented a private plane to fetch Dumpit at the Tacloban City Airport noon yesterday and take him to the Mactan Airbase where Tomas was waiting for him.

Wearing tactical pants, a white printed T-shirt, ball cap and sunglasses, Dumpit, disembarked from the six-seater plane and slowly walked directly toward the smiling Tomas who escorted him to a waiting bulletproof vehicle.

It was Tomas who personally drove the vehicle from Mandaue City to the airport. However, Miguel took over the wheel with Dumpit in the front passenger seat when the vehicle left the airport.

Dumpit thanked Tomas upon learning that he was riding a bulletproof vehicle. It would later take him to the uptown hotel where he will stay for a while.

When Tomas asked him what his plans were now that he was free. He said he would want to see his mother first.

"Mopauli usa ko sa Mindanao, mayor, kay bisitahan nako ang akong 83-anyos nga inahan. Dugay na mi nga wala magkita," he replied.

However, Dumpit said he is willing to be one of the mayor's escorts if his detail with Osmeña is approved by his superiors. He is planning to make a courtesy call to Police Regional Office-7 Director Patrocinio Comendador on Monday.

"Manghuwam lang usa ko og uniform sa amigo nako nga polis kay dili pa man dayon ko makapatahi og bag-ong police uniform," he told The Freeman in an exclusive interview in his hotel room yesterday.

Tomas gave Dumpit three bundles of P100 bills so that the latter can buy whatever he needs. Dumpit said he wants to buy a cellphone and a few clothes for himself.

Dozens of netizens said they were happy and welcomed Dumpit back to Cebu, hoping that with his presence in the city the bad elements would be wiped out.

Upon hearing the news report from dyLA that he was welcomed by the Cebuanos, Dumpit smiled and said "buhaton nako kutob sa akong mahimo nga makatabang ko sa pagpatunhay sa kalinaw isip polis."

Change your ways

When asked if he had a message to criminals, Dumpit said "awhagon lang nako sila nga magtinarong kay pait kaayo ang kahimtang sulod sa prisohan kun madakpan." 

Despite being a policeman Dumpit was made one of the "mayores" or leaders of the inmates at the Leyte Regional Prisons.

He said with his style of management, he does not have problems with his fellow prisoners who respected him, maybe because they knew that he is a policeman. — /BRP (FREEMAN)