Batangas cop probed for motorcycle theft

SAN PEDRO CITY—A police officer assigned to Lipa City, Batangas province is under investigation after a motorist accused him of stealing his motorcycle.

The policeman was identified in an initial report by the Batangas police as Senior Police Officer 1 Michael Alvarez.

The report said motorist Sherwin Mindanao, a resident of San Jose town of Batangas, was on his way to work aboard his motorcycle when the policeman asked him to pull over around 7:20 a.m. Tuesday.

“Based on the complainant’s (Mindanao) story, the policeman then fired his gun, although it looked like he only meant to scare him because (Alvarez) missed,” said San Jose police chief Chief Inspector Ronnie Golfo on Wednesday.

Golfo said it was not clear if Alvarez was supposed to be on duty at the time but said he was not wearing his police uniform. He said Alvarez then grabbed the motorcycle and drove it away.

Mindanao sought help from the San Jose police, who after a follow-up operation recovered the motorcycle from the house of Alvarez’s
parents in San Jose.

“(Alvarez) was not there when we recovered the motorcycle but I already talked to his police chief in Lipa,” Golfo said.

He said the Lipa police had committed to turn Alvarez in.#