Police expect more witnesses against radio blocktimer

THE CEBU City police are expecting more witnesses to execute affidavits against a radio blocktimer accused of causing public panic with loud warnings of a coming tsunami in barangay Pasil, Cebu City, last Monday.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said an employee of local TV station CCTN-47 had promised to execute an affidavit next week against Danilo “Danny” Cogtas.

The TV station worker said he heard Cogtas boast about causing a panic .

Cogtas was charged for causing public disturbance in violation of Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code.

Police said there are also witnesses who promised to execute affidavits pinning down Ermita barangay councilor Domingo Ando who was also earlier accused as the source of the tsunami panic.

Both Cogtas and Ando denied the accusations against them. Cogtas, a member of the group Tabang Sugbo Organisasyon, said his actions were just misunderstood.

He said he was talking to his son on the phone and advised him to go to higher ground in Talisay City after hearing claims that a tsunami was heading to Cebu City.

Cogtas said he cried when he was unable to contact his son the third time, thinking that the tsunami had hit their area.

Ando, chairman of barangay Pasil’s disaster preparedness team, said he told parents to pick up their children in school because classes were suspended.

Ando claimed that he also tried to calm down the parents because of tsunami rumors and checked the water level in Pasil./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON