Cop loses camera in feeding program

A MEMBER of a civilian anti-crime group known as Trackers lost his digital camera in a feeding program held by the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).

Ricardo Ybañez, 53, vice president of the group, was able to recover the camera but not after Chief Insp. Anthony Bastes spoke to the crowd.

Bastes, chief of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB), led a feeding program in front of the San Vicente Ferrer Chapel in barangay Mantuyong around 4 p.m. last Tuesday afternoon.

Rain poured while the activity was ongoing. Ybañez took shelter from a sari-sari store.

Ybañez placed his camera on a bench while he fixed the cord of his identification card.

Ybañez was surprised when he could no longer find his camera. He asked the children who were eating porridge and sandwiches but all claimed they did not see who took the camera.

When Bastes was informed about the incident, he took the megaphone and said, “Kami nianhi mi dinhi kay nagtinarong mi pakaon ninyo unta dili lang ta mi ninyo bawsan ug inani (We went here for a good cause and we hope you don’t treat us this way).”

“Palihug lang intawn ko ug uli atong camera, ayaw ko ninyo pasuk-a (Please return the camera. Don’t make me angry),” Bastes added.

PO2 Geoffrey Neis, investigator of IDMB, said they told the children that they will be giving P200 to anyone who could identify the person who took the camera.

One child later identified a certain Indian as the one who took the camera.

A few minutes later, policemen found the camera abandoned in the cases of soft drinks and tarpaulins./CORRESPONDENT JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS