Ombudsman suspends 9 Bacolod policemen
BACOLOD CITY: The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the suspension of nine police officers from the Bacolod City Police Office for one year without pay over various offenses of misconduct and abuse of authority.
Slapped with suspension pursuant to the Civil Service Commission Resolution 1101502 were Senior Insp. Ritchie Gohee, Police Officer (PO)3 Ritchie Jocson, PO3 Adrian Mananquil, PO2 Sonny Pesales, PO2 Justin Positar, PO2 Arthur Torres, PO1 Jake Mart Maquiling, PO1 Leevic Jade Longno and PO1 Rogelio Zamora.
The order, signed by Graft Investigator Ma. Josenia Nero and approved by Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang, directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government–National Police Commission Center to implement the decision in accordance with law.
In the same order, the anti- graft body dismissed the administrative complaint against private respondent Ryan Jereza.
The order is based on the complaint filed by Senior Police Officer 3 Roberto Bernas Arrazola Jr. on June 25, 2014 against the police officers based on the incident on June 3, 2013 when he attended a mediation hearing at the village hall of Barangay Granada in connection with the complaint filed by Jereza against him.
Records showed that while he was about to leave the barangay hall, members of Police Station 5 headed by Gohee with other respondents cordoned the premises, pointing their highpowered firearms at him.
It was alleged that Gohee went inside the village hall and inquired from
Punong Barangay Alfredo Talimodao if there was any commotion in the area which Talimodao denied.
Despite the negative reply, Gohee allegedly searched Arrazola and took his service firearm and handcuffed him.
Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo, BCPO officer-in- charge, said he has not received the suspension order but the nine officers have already received the copies of the order and already filed their respective motion for reconsideration.
Gohee is now the station commander of Police Station 4 while other respondents have been assigned to other police stations.