City mayor's security chief accused of "mauling, threatening" 4 people

ORMOC CITY, Philippines – The chief of the city government's civil security unit is now under investigation for allegedly mauling four people, including two females, in separate incidents that happened on Saturday.

Reports had it that Gerry Seledio, the CSU chief, was allegedly drunk and armed and had unidentified people with him when the incidents transpired.

The victims of Seledio were identified as Fernando Panta, 44, also a member of the CSU; Julieta Tacuban, 53, a "job order" worker of the City Hall assigned as toilet cleaner of the city bus terminal; Landy Pamador, 28, from Kananga, Leyte and Gelma Perez, 25, a student at the Sto. Nino College in the city.

Perez was the first one to report to the police that she was slapped by Seledio just because the latter got angry by the noise of her motorcycle.

Senior Police Officer 3 Danilo Rebato, officer-on-duty, said that soon after Perez reported the incident, Seledio himself came to the station and talked to Perez. The two agreed to settle the matter in the presence of police chief, Senior Inspector Rio Tan.

Rebato said he did not see the need to detain Seledio, after settling the case with Perez. However, by daybreak, three more victims of Seledio's alleged abuse arrived at the police station to report what happened to them.

Pamador, who said he was in Ormoc to look for a job, accused Seledio of putting a gun into his mouth and threatening to blow his head off. He told police he was sleeping at the city stage when Seledio allegedly woke him up and started manhandling him.

Panta told the police Seledio arrived at around 2:30 a.m. and started scolding him for "sleeping on the job." When he retorted that he was not sleeping but just sitting down, Seledio got irked and boxed him on the torso four times.

Tacuban alleged that Seledio approached her and started asking what she was doing. She reasoned out she was a toilet cleaner. After hearing her answer, Seledio slapped her on the face. She was still shaking with fear when she reported the incident to the police.