Chief Insp. George Ylanan faces another legal obstacle.
Ylanan, head of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) of the Cebu City Police Office, and 10 other policemen were charged with arbitrary detention and a violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Lyzanne Labiste, a woman whom Ylanan and his team arrested for allegedly demanding money from them, filed criminal and administrative charges against the policemen before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas yesterday.
In her complaint, Labiste said she was expecting an amicable agreement with payment of P25,000 but the encounter turned out to be an entrapment operation last April 29.
Aside from Ylanan, named respondents in the complaint are Insp. Jesus Arong, SPO1 Filomeno Mendaros, PO3 Cesar Pandong, PO3 Richard Cyril Valencia, PO2 Frederick Ybanez, PO2 Jerybel Lerio, PO2 Philip Plasus, PO2 Roy Carlo Veloso, PO1 Michael Maucesa, and PO1 Esmeraldo Quillosa—all members of the IDMB.
Last April 25, Labiste said PO3 Valencia barged into her room, pointed a gun at her, thinking that a man whom the police chased was inside her residence.
The subject of the operation was arrested in a separate house.
Labiste, a resident of barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, said she asked lawyer Danilo Yap to help her file a complaint against the policemen.
During a meeting to settle the matter, Valencia arrived with Ylanan. Valencia later sent text messages to the woman apologizing for his conduct to avoid getting charged.
At one point, the policeman asked, “Praktikalay na lang ta pila, pila imo gusto? (Let’s be practical. How much do you want?)”
The policeman negotiated to bring down the amount from P70,000 P25,000.
When they later met at a fast-food restaurant in Guadalupe, the policeman only brought only P20,000 with a promise to give P5,000 later.
She decided to go ahead and file a case against him.
However, policemen arrived and arrested her on a charge of robbery, which was later lowered to light threats. Labiste posted bail.
Ylanan and seven other policemen are also facing separate charges at the Ombudsman.
Two Americans, Michael Lopez and Andre Breeding, accused Ylanan and the other police officers of arbitrary detention, kidnapping, harassment and neglect of duty. WITH A REPORT FROM CHITO O. ARAGON