Cop faces raps for turning priest away

A Manila policeman is in trouble after a priest who was allegedly punched by a drunk man near a school on Election Day accused him of ignoring his complaint.

Fr. Joebert Fernandez of the Most Holy Trinity Parish Church in Balic-balic, Sampaloc, went to Manila Police District (MPD) officer in charge Senior Superintendent Robert Po after he felt that Police Officer 3 Arnel Joson of the Sampaloc police station took his complaint for granted.

As a result, Joson faces administrative and criminal cases for serious neglect and dereliction of duty.

According to a report by Senior Police Officer 1 James Poso of the MPD General Assignment Section where the case was referred to, Fernandez is a member of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), a poll watch group.

At 7:45 p.m. on May 13, the priest and PPCRV volunteers were in a van that had just delivered food to poll volunteers at Lopez Jaena Elementary School when their vehicle was blocked by a man who seemed to be drunk.

The man later identified as Joel Bañez  shouted and swore at the group, the police report said.

One of the volunteers called the attention of policemen who were detailed at the polling center but the lawmen ignored them.

Fernandez and a volunteer identified as Mark Anthony Echanes then got out of the vehicle to pacify the drunk who punched the priest in the eye. Echanes, meanwhile, grabbed the suspect.

At this point, the policemen, one of whom was identified as Joson, came over. Echanes said he turned over the drunk to the police but he was ignored and the troublemaker was able to run away.

The priest was brought to the Sampaloc police station where he was repeatedly asked about the incident although no one took down his complaint, according to the report. With Sushmita Chim, trainee