MikeLigalig.com

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The existence of "simple evidence" that a policeman has committed procedural lapses in making an arrest may be enough to establish culpability of his administrative charge.

This was the statement made by National Police Commission (Napolcom) prosecutor Atty. Maximo Lasaca during an interview with the Chronicle.

Unlike criminal cases, Lasaca explained, administrative proceedings require much lesser validation of evidence.

If there is prima facie evidence that a policeman committed "a serious breach of procedure" in making an arrest then he can be penalized, he said.

However, the four operatives of the Traffic Management Group (TMG) being accused of carnapping and are facing administrative charges said they can prove that the eight vehicles they seized during operations here were stolen.

P/Insp. Doroteo Tolentino, PO3 Jason Galimba and PO2 Eddie Marohum of the TMG regional office submitted their counter-affidavits during the pre-hearing conference Friday at the Napolcom Bohol field office at Camp Dagohoy.

One other accused TMG operative, PO2 Edwin Santos, did not show up during the said conference which was presided by Napolcom-7 hearing officer Atty. Aloha Peñaranda.

Although the three TMG operatives present admitted they did not possess an "Alarm Sheet" when they seized the vehicles of complainants Handel Sarabosing and Isidoro Manalo, the policemen said the vehicles were in fact verified to have been stolen from their original owners.

The group's affidavit noted that the vehicles of Sarabosing and Manalo, as well as the 6 others seized, were in the TMG's master list of "hot cars".

The vehicles were also in a list of stolen vehicles at the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Results of laboratory tests at the TMG's regional headquarters likewise showed that the engine and chassis numbers of the two vehicles have been tampered, the group claimed.

The vehicles of Manalo and Sarabosing were among four vehicles shipped to the TMG regional headquarters in Cebu.

Four others remain at Camp Dagohoy after its owners petitioned for a court order before their vehicles can be brought by the traffic operatives to Cebu City.

The TMG men face possible dismissal from service, other than the criminal liability resulting from separate complaints filed in court, if found guilty.

Hearings are scheduled on November 27 and December 11.

MOTION TO INHIBIT

PO2 Marohum manifested during the pre-hearing conference that they will file a motion for inhibition against Napolcom-7 Director Atty. Bernardo Calibo.

According to PO2 Marohum, they have agreed to file the motion as they consider that the complainants are also Boholanos.

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