Police: No complaint from guard yet

The National Police Commission in Central Visayas (Napolcom-7) said it has not yet received a formal complaint from port security guard Ferlito Ompad who described how he was mauled by a police official.

Ompad went to their office in the last week of October inquiring about filing a complaint.

He was told about the requirements for a case, including the need to retain a lawyer and issue an affidavit of complaint and proof.

“He didn’t come back,” said Napolcom investigation unit chief Risty Sibay.

“If he has a legal counsel, he can return to start the case. As of now, there is no formal complaint yet.”

“If he has no legal counsel, we can provide one for him,” he said

Since the accused party, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Logictics Division Chief Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat, is a presidential appointee, “we need a presidential approval before we can conduct an investigation.”

The guard earlier accused Ualat of shoving a terminal ticket in his mouth last Oct. 24 when the police official fetched his wife to the pier area for her trip to Dapitan.

The following day, Oct. 25, said Ompad, the police officer punched him in the stomach inside the Fessaggs office.

Ualat denied the allegations and instead accused the guard of acting arrogantly toward him.

In a separate interview, GDS Security Agency Detachment Commander Riel Culango said that Ompad was absent from work yesterday.

“I received a report form our head guard that Ompad was absent from work.” Culango said.

But the guard just took time off to follow up papers needed for the filing of complaint, according to the agency, including medical exam results.

The agency earlier said it would support the guard in taking legal action before the Visayas Ombudsman.  Correspondent Rhea Ruth Rossel