Cops made to jump into fishpond sue their boss

ILOILO CITY—A police officer in Iloilo has been relieved to face investigation for allegedly imposing excessive disciplinary action on six of his subordinates.

Senior Supt. Gil Lebin, Iloilo police director, on Wednesday relieved Senior Insp. Yolando Lago as head of the 1st Maneuver Platoon of the Iloilo Provincial Police Public Safety Company based in Tigbauan town, Iloilo.

The relief came after six officers filed a complaint against Lago.

The six officers, all under Lago, filed the complaint at the Tigbauan police station on Monday, accusing Lago of forcing them to jump into and stay in a fishpond for nine hours as a disciplinary measure.

The officers who filed the complaint were PO1s Madelyn Villegas, Maritess de Gomez, Rowena Bautista, Janice Patricio, Ronald de Tomas and J-Mar Sales. They have been in the police service for at least a year.

The officers said Lago summoned them past 7 a.m. on Monday and scolded them for leaving their posts without signing on an attendance logbook.

In the complaint, the officers alleged that Lago threw water on the face of De Gomez and berated them in front of other officers.

Lago ordered the officers to jump into a fishpond beside the police camp and stay there for more than nine hours, the complaint said.

Lebin said he ordered Lago to submit a report on the incident and answer the complaint.

He said his initial investigation showed that Lago was angry because the policemen left their posts without properly turning over their duties to their relievers.

“Leaving one’s post is a serious offense that could warrant dismissal from service,” Lebin said.

But he said he would investigate the allegations of the six officers and determine if the disciplinary measures were excessive.

Lebin also ordered the six officers confined to their quarters pending the results of the investigation of Lago.

Lago could not be reached for comment on the complaint.