Comelec intervenes in rift between Cebu City mayor, cops

CEBU CITY—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Central Visayas has ordered an investigation of claims by Mayor Tomas Osmeña that policemen were harassing his political allies and supporters.

Lawyer Veronico Petalcorin, Comelec regional director, said the probe would include the burning of a dump truck owned by a village chief who belonged to Osmeña’s party, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, on Thursday.

Petalcorin said they would also look into claims of Police Col. Royina Garma, city police chief, that Osmeña harassed policemen stationed at a checkpoint in the city.

No enemy

Eduardo Cabriana, Bonbon village chief, said he believed politics was behind the torching of his truck.

“I do not have any enemy in our place. I’m convinced we are being harassed because we support Mayor Osmeña,” said Cabriana, who took a leave of absence due to concerns about his safety.

Also on Thursday, the house of the Osmeña’s executive secretary, Catherine Yso, was stoned. No one was hurt in the incident.

CIDG probe

Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, Central Visayas police director, has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate the burning of Cabriana’s truck.

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

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

Policemen, reports said, also raided the house of Victor Quijano, Calamba village chief and Osmeña’s party mate, to look for loose firearms. —REPORTS FROM NESTLE SEMILLA, DALE ISRAEL AND ADOR VINCENT MAYOL