6 Leyte cops face murder, arbitrary detention raps

PALO, LEYTE — Chief Superintendent Gilbert Cruz yesterday confirmed that the six policemen— earlier charged with murder and arbitrary detention—were already disarmed and placed in a floating status at the Police Regional Office8’s Regional Service Office (RSOF, while the criminal and administrative charges still on the process.

Cruz, in a phone interview, told The Philippine Star/The FREEMAN that— considering the charges are already in the hands of the authorities—the PRO-8 will follow w` hatever process needed in legal proceedings until decision will be released favorably or not to the respondent policemen in this case.

Chief Inspector Shevert Alvin Machete, chief of the Kananga (Leyte F Police Station, earlier filed a murder case against then Ormoc City Police Station 1 head Chief Inspector Omar Cartalla, Police Officers 3 Eleazar Tero and Ernie Clemencio, and PO1s Ritchie Sy and Ryan Refuerzo for alleged killing of an old woman suspected of stealing a mobile phone, worth P13,000, from a phone shop in Ormoc City.

The complaint sheet disclosed that a separate criminal case of arbitrary detention were filed against Tero and Clemencio, said Cruz.

The two criminal cases are still pending for resolution before the Ormoc City Prosecutor’s Office, while the administrative cases are now pending for investigation at the PRO-8 Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIASF.

The charges came up when Lorna Soza, suspect of mobile phone theft, was found dead by Kananga residents with a gunshot wound on her face that was wrapped with packing tape.

Kananga Police investigation also revealed that during Soza's interrogation, she even asked forgiveness from the store owner, thinking that no case would be filed against her and that she should be released from detention after the regulation period.

It was only after several days when Soza was released from her detention cell of the Ormoc City PS 1, when she was allegedly forced to ride a police car at dawn, after which her dead body was found in a grassy area near Kananga.

The six policemen suspected of involvement in the killing however declined to give any comment, saying they would give way to the legal process of their cases.

Cruz however gave assurance to the accused that a fair treatment of the case will be carried out, and that his command will abide by whatever decision will arise from the court.