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Administrative charges were filed against two police officers who were held responsible in releasing two suspected "goons" identified with a politician in Albur town.

The complaint was filed by Albur Kag. Jet Ugdoracion, son of elected Mayor Jose Ugdoracion, at the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) in Camp Dagohoy last Wednesday.

The two policemen, P/Insp. Romeo Cano and PO3 Quiciano Lopena, stationed at the Albur PNP are being investigated for serious neglect of duty and misconduct for releasing Quirino Sumorostro, 36, a resident of barangay Catarman, Dauis and his companion Vecio Formentera, 18, resident of Causeway Drive, Tagbilaran City.

Sumorostro and Formentera were arrested on the eve of election day, May 13 by the Albur PNP after a tip was made by concerned residents of the presence of armed men aboard a vehicle who were observing the house of then mayoralty candidate Ugdoracion.

Sumorostro and Formentera were allegedly identified with incumbent Albur Mayor Efren Tungol, whose son, Ephraim Tungol, ran against Ugdoracion in the elections.

Police with the aide of residents, cornered the two suspected "goons" who were aboard a KIA Rocsta vehicle and were found in possession of an M16 rifle and 2 .38 caliber revolvers with live ammunitions.

The two suspects were detained at the Albur PNP lock-up jail while their vehicle was impounded together with the recovered weapons.

However, on May 18 the vehicle was released by the two policemen.

A day before, the two suspects were also released from the custody of the Albur PNP.
The complainant questioned the "intentional delay in the filing of criminal cases" by the Albur PNP against the two suspects who were "clearly violating illegal possession of firearms during the Comelec gun ban period."

Moreover, the release of the suspects' vehicle was "without lawful order from the court," Ugdoracion stated in his complaint.

The serial number on the M16 rifle recovered from the suspects was later found tampered after an examination made by the PNP crime laboratory.

P/Insp. John Gilbert Basalo, head of the PNP-Bohol Investigation and Detective Management Branch, assured a fair and impartial investigation on the case. (Kit Bagaipo, Bohol Chronicle, 6/3/2007)

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