Garma hits NBI 7 for suing police

For demoralizing them, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Royina Garma yesterday slammed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7.

The agency, however, found an ally in Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who described the agency as “trustworthy.”

The pronouncement of Garma came after NBI 7 filed administrative and criminal complaints against three personnel of Carbon Police Station over the death of four-year-old Skyler Abatayo in a drug bust in Barangay Ermita last July.

“Anticipated ko yan na NBI will do their best to demoralize the Philippine National Police, especially CCPO. I don’t know why. They’re supposed to be our partners but they are doing this to us,” she said.

Garma assured that CCPO will help Sr. Insp. John Kareem Escober, PO1 Wilbert Perez, and PO1 Rey Van Dadula in fighting the cases against them.

The police official said NBI’s filing of complaints is “not good.”

“We are the same law enforcement agency. If they have problem (with us), we should be talking together,” she said.

Garma hopes to have better relationship with the new NBI 7 Director Atty. Dominador Cimafranca, who replaced Atty. Patricio Bernales Jr.

“I strongly believe na yung moral foundation niya (Cimafranca) sa work niya, yung conviction niya sa work niya mataas,” she said.

Mayor Osmeña, for his part, said he continue to trust NBI 7.

“They are far from under my control, but at least the NBI is still trustworthy. It’s nice to know there are still some law enforcers out there willing to stand up for what’s right,” he said.

Osmeña said it’s nice to have a police who are not under the mayor’s supervision, unlike before, as he doesn’t want to be responsible for Abatayo’s death.

“There’s no way I would want to be responsible for the death of a four-year-old and lying to cover it up,” he said.

Osmeña has been criticizing the police force after the series of killings in the city, particularly in the alleged foiled ambush of Tejero Barangay Councilor Jessielou Cadungog.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, wished the new NBI 7 director good luck and hopes he will continue the investigation of cases lodged in their office. /