CEBU, Philippines - A woman arrested for illegal drug possession will be filing sexual harassment charges, among others, against eight police officers of Mabolo Police Station.
The 33-year-old resident of Barangay Labangon, Cebu City said the policemen touched her body including her private parts during a raid at her boyfriend's apartment in Barangay Lahug.
Lawyer Inocencio Dela Cerna yesterday appeared at Mabolo Police Station where his client is temporarily detained and worked on the charges that they will be filing before the Office of the Ombudsman and Cebu City Prosecutor's Office.
Dela Cerna said they will file charges for robbery extortion, sexual harassment and insidious machination against the eight police officers.
The policemen were identified as Inspector Vincent Zozobrado, SPO2 Dante Villacarlos, PO3 Lucito Gonzales, PO2 Victor Atto Jr., PO2 Felix Tuñacao, PO1 Teofilo Salas, PO1 Albery Cabue and PO1 Marlon Acabado.
Dela Cerna said that on June 15, the policemen, without any warrant of arrest or search warrant, swooped down on the apartment of his client's boyfriend.
They allegedly "busted" and went inside the apartment while the woman was sleeping and conducted an illegal search upon her person.
Dela Cerna said the operatives forced his client to open her bag and jewelry box. Zozobrado allegedly took the Bulgari watch, other pieces of jewelry and money in a pink attaché case.
Salas, on the other hand, allegedly took the P130,000 cash inside a personal vault.
Dela Cerna said his client lost around P500,000 worth of valuables and cash.
The police also allegedly ordered the woman to strip down then touched the different parts of her body including her private parts.
Dela Cerna said this was done on the alleged pretext that she may have hidden illegal substance on her.
To cover up the "misdeeds" of the police, they filed a complaint for illegal possession of shabu against his client, said Dela Cerna. In fact, the policemen allegedly demanded P100,000 with the threat that they will file serious charges.
True enough, the police filed a complaint against the woman before the prosecutor's office.
The lawyer's client was told that the police recovered .06 grams of shabu from her possession, but since she cannot come up with the amount demanded, they allegedly sued her for possession of 25 grams of shabu.
"Our client was and has never been involved in illegal drugs," said Dela Cerna.
The woman herself denied being involving in illegal drugs.
Senior Inspector Rolito Supatan, deputy chief of Mabolo Police Station, told the media that he had talked with the eight policemen implicated in the case.
The policemen denied the allegation and claimed that the operation they conducted was legal.
Supatan cannot divulge further details since the incident happened on June 15 while he assumed office only on June 17. (FREEMAN)