2 cops under probe for “harassment”

The Office of the Ombudsman has started the formal investigation against the two policemen who allegedly harassed the family and supporters of slain businessman Renerio Arrogante III during the commemoration of the businessman’s death.

Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer III Carla Tanco has issued formal invitations to Chief Inspector Jovitio Canlapan, former police chief of Daanbantayan town, and SPO1 Cesar Alburo.

Canlapan is now assigned at the Cebu Provincial Police Office while Alburo remains at the Daanbantayan Police Station.

It was Arrogante’s daughter Lydia who lodged the complaint against the policemen with the Ombudsman, saying the two allegedly harassed her family and father’s supporters when they were commemorating Arrogante’s death morning last April 9.

The two policemen allegedly forced them to stop the activity at the Mainroad Square Commercial Complex where Arrogante was shot a month before.

Canlapan and Alburo allegedly blocked the entrance of the commercial complex and the other policemen, allegedly upon orders of the two respondents prevented the people from entering the commercial center.

Lydia said Canlapan reportedly told them that he was only following the orders of Police Regional Director Ronaldo Roderos.

But Lydia said Roderos reportedly told her in a telephone conversation that they could continue their activity, as long as they were in a private property. The complex where the gathering was held is reportedly owned by the Arogantes.

However, the commemoration fell on the same day Governor Gwendolyn Garcia visited the town with hundreds of tourists for the “Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo” and no less than Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura reportedly asked the Arrogante family to stop the activity, as it would allegedly affect the town’s image, especially to the tourists.

But Lydia maintained that their activity was peaceful and was exactly intended to dramatize their protest of the town officials who failed to act on the brutal killing of her father.

The National Bureau of Investigation already arrested Army Sgt. Moises Ludoc, the alleged gunman, but the Arrogante family hopes the mastermind would also be brought to justice.

Arrogante had ran for town councilor under the slate of Augusto Corro, Shimura’s opponent in the last elections. — Jose P. Sollano/JMO