Police: Rob suspect is really still in prison

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Police Office director, Senior Superintendent Noli Romana, confirmed yesterday that PO3 Eugene Salingay, who was held responsible for a string of robberies in Cebu City, has indeed been incarcerated in Oroquieta City since September of this year.

“He’s there, nandoon siya ngayon, actually ako mismo with my own sources doon sa Ozamiz City and Oroquieta City,” said Romana.

He said he asked his sources in Region 10 where he was previously assigned to verify if Salingay was really incarcerated in the Misamis Occidental Provincial Reformatory Jail (MOPRJ).

 “Nag-verify ako kasi dati naman akong na-assign doon sa Region 10 and na-validate nga sa akin sa mga contacts ko doon nga he was there na naka-incarcerate si Salingay since September 2,” Romana said.

Salingay was tagged as suspect in several robberies after victims and witnesses identified him as the person responsible.

Romana said that Salingay was arrested in Carmen sometime in August for robbery but the victim did not file a case against him.

But when Carmen police learned that he has a standing warrant of arrest in Oroquieta City, they turned Salingay over to the Oroquieta City police.

Judge Silvestre Orejana Jr.,  in Oroquieta City, issued an order to the provincial warden of MOPRJ to commit Salingay to prison immediately. The order was received and signed by Provincial Jail Warden Edwardson Tagaoc on the same day the order was issued.

With this development, Romana said that they will be reviewing the incidents prior to September 2.

“After September 2 maaring ma-off the hook na siya sa ibang kaso, sa Western Union, we have to review. Babalikan namin ang mga witnesses,” Romana said.

He said that the person responsible for pulling off the heist might resemble Salingay but they are positive that the other Western Union robber is a certain Michael Baldemesa.

“Kung makuha natin si Michael Baldemesa, taga rito naman siya, siya yung local na contact maaring may magandang development ang kaso,” Romana added.

It was Senior Police Officer 4 Euretes Dugso, an intelligence operative of Oroquieta City police, who first confirmed Salingay is still inside MOPRJ after he received a call from Cebu City inquiring if the former policeman is inside the jail.

Last Thursday afternoon, he went to MOPRJ to verify if Salingay is really detained and found that he has been there since September 8 after he was arrested for robbery in Danao City.

Pictures of Salingay were also sent by Dugso to confirm that he was inside the jail and has not been out since September.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)