N. Samar cop chief relieved over attempted rape rap

Ceasar Tannagan Northern Samar police director

CATARMAN, NORTHERN SAMAR—The provincial police director of Northern Samar has been relieved from his post to face investigation on the sexual molestation complaint filed by his secretary.

Senior Supt. Ceasar Tannagan, Northern Samar police director, was replaced on Thursday by Senior Supt. Felix Diloy, a native of Barugo town in Leyte province.

In her complaint filed with the Philippine National Police, Tannagan’s 30-year-old secretary claimed that the police official kissed her and tried to touch her private parts in separate occasions this month.

Tannagan, however, denied the charges.

“I’m innocent. I also hope that my being presumed innocent will be respected,” he said in a telephone interview.

In a three-page affidavit, the woman cited the first incident of molestation on Aug. 9, on the eve of the town fiesta of Bobon, when she and Tannagan were inside the police official’s vehicle.

“He held my hands and kissed me,” said part of her affidavit submitted to the Eastern Visayas regional police office in Palo town, Leyte.

Tannagan allegedly told the woman that he liked her. According to the woman, she resisted Tannagan’s advances and told him that she had a boyfriend.

The next day, the woman went to Tannagan’s living quarters in Camp Delgado, the provincial police headquarters, for an errand. Tannagan, she said, again kissed her and “insisted to touch my private parts.”

Tannagan said he could not understand why his secretary would make such an accusation.

“She is a nice woman. I could not understand her motive. [She] even asked me if my wife and I were separated. We are not separated and my family is supporting me, all out,” Tannagan said.

In a letter to Director General Ronald dela Rosa, PNP chief, on Aug. 8, retired Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali, House of Representatives sergeant at arms, said local officials in Northern Samar also sought his help in relaying their appeal to remove Tannagan due to alleged irregularities, among these the proliferation of illegal gambling.

Detabali said the local officials also complained that Tannagan was allegedly requesting for financial support to purchase gasoline and other supplies, which the Commission on Audit had questioned.

But Tannagan disputed this, saying he was doing his job well, particularly on the fight against illegal gambling and illegal drugs in the province. —WITH A REPORT FROM JOEY A. GABIETA