S. Leyte PNP director denies protecting liquor ban violator
TOMAS OPPUS, S. LEYTE — Senior Superintendent Warren de Leon, director of the Southern Leyte Police Provincial Office (SLPPO), said there is no truth to allegations that he has been harboring a liquor ban violator who was arrested during the May 14 elections.
De Leon vehemently denied he was obstructing justice by allegedly making efforts to avert the filing of charges against Jimmy Batingal, a mechanical engineer working in Cebu City, who was arrested by the police in Tomas Oppus town of Southern Leyte.
Members of the Southern Leyte Public Safety Battalion arrested Batingal for allegedly making alarm and scandal in his Barangay Mapgap of Tomas Oppus town during election day, resulting in a commotion, but he then calmed down upon sensing the presence of mediamen who were covering the elections at the time.
He was brought to the Tomas Oppus Police Station only the following morning, where he admitted to the media that he messed up for being under the influence of liquor, after a ‘small celebration' in his house. “Sir, pasensya na, nadala lang ako ng emotion ko, at di ko alam na liquor ban pala ngayon,” he said.
Later in the day however, the local media did not see the engineer anymore at the police detention facility, causing rumors that he was being protected by the police. As of yesterday, there was no record that criminal charges have been filed against Batingal.
Chief Inspector Daniel Polo, OIC chief of police of Tomas Oppus, disclosed to the media that Batingal was brought to the SLPPO headquarters in Maasin City, allegedly upon instructions of de Leon, for undisclosed reasons.
De Leon, when asked about this matter, said he did not protect Batingal and that a case will surely be filed against the latter, although he said this will go through a process.
The FREEMAN learned that results of the medical or laboratory tests showed that Batingal was positive of liquor intake.
De Leon assured the public that he already instructed the police for the immediate filing of charges for liquor ban violation and other related election offense against Batingal. "Kakasuhan talaga yan. We want to give lessons on these people who do not heed the law.
De Leon further denied he was protecting Batingal ”for political reasons,” as alleged by some sources. He meanwhile told the media that the elections in Southern Leyte were generally peaceful and that no electionrelated violent incident took place in the province.