Cop loses detainee, blames ‘drink’

A Quezon City policeman is facing charges after a detainee he had escorted to a court hearing Monday afternoon managed to escape.

In a report to his superior, Police Officer 2 Dave Pamintuan claimed that he and detainee Reynaldo Yumol stopped for a snack after the hearing and that Yumol put something in his drink that made him fall asleep.

Yumol, who is charged with malversation through falsification of documents, has been detained since last month at Masambong police station.

Around 1 p.m. Monday, Yumol was escorted by Pamintuan to a hearing at Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 219.

About four hours later, Pamintuan’s colleagues noticed that both the officer and Yumol had not yet returned.

Station commander Superintendent Pedro Sanchez said his men managed to contact Pamuntuan on the phone but that the latter had no immediate explanation.

Pamintuan was later fetched from his house and placed under arrest. He is facing charges under the Revised Penal Code for evasion through negligence or infidelity in the custody of prisoners. Julie M. Aurelio