Three operatives of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) have been cleared of an administrative complaint that was filed against them for allegedly failing to stop three Koreans from mauling two broadcast journalists.
The Investigation Detective and Management Branch of LLCPO recommended that the case filed against Senior Insp. Zenaido Pastorfide, chief of the Homicide Section of LLCPO, SPO4 Edgar Alcantara Sagarino and PO2 Jacklord Pugoy be “dropped and closed for lack of probable cause.”
GMA-7 news reporter Bexmae Jumao-as and cameraman Leofil “Bruce” Labastida filed complaints for serious neglect of duty and gross incompetence against the three policemen.
The case stemmed from an incident last Feb. 11 where the complainants were allegedly attacked by three Koreans while following up a story on Hyun Chul Hwang, a suspect in the death of Whenvy Noel.
The woman was already dead when police found them inside a Lapu-Lapu hotel last Feb. 9.
Hwang died last Friday after two months of being comatose in a Cebu City hospital. Drug overdose was the cause of the Korean’s death, police said.
In their complaint, Jumao-as said she was interviewing a certain John Lee who identified himself as the general manager of the Cebu Korean Association when she told Labastida to roll the video.
Jumao-as said one of the female Koreans reacted violently and demanded that the video be deleted.
Jumao-as said Lee confronted them outside the police station and demanded to check her cell phone on suspicion that that photos of him were taken using the gadget.
Jumao-as insisted that no video was taken using her cell phone.
On their way to the parking area, the complainants collared them and grabbed them by the neck, Jumao-as said.
The commotion was caught on camera by a bystander whose photos were attached by the two journalists in their complaints.
Jumao-as said PO2 Pugoy saw what happened but he allegedly did not stop the Koreans from attacking them.
She added SPO4 Alcantara took their camera and brought it to the Homicide Section.
The two journalists said they told the policeman they have no right to confiscate the camera but they were just told by one of the policemen to delete the videos to avoid trouble.
In his recommendation, SPO2 Honorato Inihao said that “after an in-depth and thorough investigation of the case at hand, the investigating officer arrived at a conclusion that there is no probable cause” to charge the three policemen in relation to the National Police Commission’s memorandum Circular No. 2007-001.”
Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, chief of LLCPo, said in a press conference yesterday that the case was properly investigated.
“I would like to assure you that the result of the investigation was just and fair because I myself conducted an investigation.”
“If they wish to continue their quest for justice, they can request it in another forum,” he said.
Lawas said the recommendation to drop the complaint was forwarded to regional office of IDMB.
Suzzane Salva-Alueta, program manger of GMA-7 Cebu News and Public Affairs, said they have referred the case to their head office in Manila and that they are studying what move to make.
Alueta said the result of the investigation was “unilaterally in favor with the police” because their side was not taken during the investigation.
“They could have asked the complainant to appear along with the accused before the investigator,” she said.
She said they were not given any copies of the counter-affidavit but only received a memorandum from Lapu-lapu police.