CPPO relieves Carmen police chief

CEBU, Philippines —  The Carmen Police Station chief has been relieved from his post pending investigation of the administrative charges filed against his intelligence officer who was arrested for extortion last Friday.

Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) director, Police Colonel Aladdin Collado, issued the order following the arrest of Police Executive Master Sergeant Julius Medura Obañana, chief intelligence officer of the Carmen Police Station, by the members of Integrity and Monitoring Enforcement Group (IMEG).

Collado, however, clarified that the relief of Police Major Roger Quijano is not an implication that he was also involved in the extortion, but rather just to pave way for an impartial investigation.

Aside from the ongoing investigation the IMEG is conducting, Collado said they have also initiated their own administrative investigation.

"Ang relief ng chief of police ng Carmen ay hindi nangangahulugan na sya ay sangkot dito, inuulit ko po, hindi natin sinasabi na sangkot sya dito, ang gusto po naming mangyari ay para magkaroon ng impartial investigation," he said.

Collado has also ordered the personnel under the said station to undergo an internal cleansing seminar for them to be reminded to stop from engaging in any illegal activities.

He also said they will not tolerate such actions among his personnel and the arrest of Obañana was proof that the internal cleansing among their ranks has been strictly enforced.

"Actually nakita nyo naman ang PNP kasama ang Cebu Police Provincial Office and even the chief of police together with the intelligence operatives in IMEG nagkaroon ng collaborative effort to put an end itong activity nitong isang police natin," said Collado.

At present, the IMEG has filed the charges of robbery through extortion against Obañana who was arrested by the police during an entrapment operation.

This is after he allegedly tried to extort P3,000 from a woman whose motorcycle he unlawfully seized in Barangay Poblacion, Carmen.

An officer-in-charge has been placed in the station to oversee the development of the investigation. This is also to verify reports that this wasn't the first time that Obañana was involved in extortion.

Collado also admitted that the incident caused them a low-morale however added that they will not tolerate such illegal activities.

The said policeman has been assigned in Tuburan Police Station. Collado said that part of their investigation also is to check his background during his assignment in Tuburan to find out if he was also involved in illegal activities there. — GMR (FREEMAN)