Comelec orders probe on Cebu City cops being used in politics

CEBU CITY — The Commission on Elections in Central Visayas (Comelec-7) has ordered an investigation on the claims that policemen were being used in politics.

Lawyer Veronico Petalcorin, Comelec-7 director, said they would look into the claims of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña that policemen were harassing his allies and supporters.

He said the probe would include the torching of a  dump truck owned by a village chief who belonged to Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan about 1 a.m. on Thursday.

Petalcorin said they would also look into claims of Cebu City Police Chief Royina Garma that the policemen were harassed by the mayor during checkpoint operations in the city.

The result of their investigation would be forwarded to the Comelec central office which would decide on the matter.

Osmeña told reporters on Thursday that the police had already achieved the level of intimidation since many of his leaders in various barangays were harassed.

Osmeña said he was afraid for his supporters but he still needed to take a stand against those who harassed them.

Bonbon Barangay Captain Eduardo Cabriana said he believed politics had something to do with the torching of his dump truck.

“I do not have any enemy in our place. I’m convinced we are being harassed because we support Mayor Osmeña,” he said.

Cabriana decided to take a leave of absence after the incident, saying he was concerned about his safety.

On the same day, the house of Osmeña’s executive secretary, Catherine Yso, was also stoned. Fortunately, Yso said no one was hurt in the incident.

Brigadier Gen. Debold Sinas, director of the Central Visayas police, has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to investigate the burning of Cabriana’s dump truck.

He said the local police would not join in the investigation because they were accused of harassing Cabriana.

He said it was but natural for the local police to be accused of being partisan especially that the elections were approaching.

Last May 4, unidentified men strafed the house of Amor Cabiles, the barangay mayor’s office head, in Sudlon 1, Cebu City while another Osmena supporter, Dinefer Aguilar, complained that she was slapped on the face by an unidentified man.

Policemen also raided the house of Calamba Barangay Captain Victor “Jojo” Quijano in the guise of looking for loose firearm. Quijano belonged to Osmena’s party.

The conflict between Osmena and the police officials started when a policeman was accused of attempting to assassinate a barangay official allied with the mayor in 2018. The official fought back and killed the policeman.

Last month, the mayor accused the police of using checkpoint operations to harass his supporters.

The mayor also criticized the police for the viral video where City policemen mauled a civilian.