Some cops ‘tamper’ with evidence

For the first time, Cebu City Police Office has admitted that some of its investigators and operatives have been involved in tampering with evidence in drug-related operations.

But CCPO chief Senior Supt. Royina Garma was quick to assure that these police scalawags are now a subject of an internal monitoring.

Garma did not provide specifics but went on to say there is an ongoing effort to check and confirm these reports.

“May mga reports akong ginawa and may mga reports galing sa ground so we have to validate and confirm. We are monitoring mga personnel may mga information kami na yan ang gawain,” Garma told reporters yesterday.

Garma made the remarks after Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO7) Director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas said they are monitoring drug cases handled by CCPO to check if the anti-illegal drugs operations are seriously conducted.

Yet the stories were not new, according to Garma. She said she heard about these reports even before she stepped in as CCPO director two months ago.

Under her helm, the city police director said, no physical evidence has been destroyed or concealed.

“So far, hindi naman umabot sa ganun, but we are monitoring personnel na may information kami na yan ang gawain,” she said.

Efforts, however, continue to make corrective measures on personnel who prove to be ineffective in their responsibilities.

“That’s why we are issuing mga policies reminding them sa police operational procedures and ordering the station commanders to personally supervise all police operations,” she said.

She added that there is no need for CCPO to catch those involved in tampering with physical evidence so long as there is enough basis and moral conviction through monitoring.

“We don’t have to prove so that we can do something to address the problem. A mere information and that we are morally convinced and we actually saw na kailangan talagang i-call ang attention to address, we will do it. We don’t have to make it appear na it is an evidence so that we can address the problem,” she said.

CCPO data showed that the total anti-illegal drug cases recorded from January to July this year reached 1,160. Of that number, some 1,149 are considered “solved,” which means persons involved in such cases have been identified and in custody, and police have gathered sufficient evidence, suspects have been charged, and cases are ongoing in court.

Police data further revealed that 1,157 cases are considered “cleared,” which means that suspects were either identified but remain at large.

“Ang crime solved, file-an kaso, nadakpan, na-identify na ang naa sa kaso and ang cleared na-file but wala pa nadakpan ang suspects,” Supt. Artemio Ricabo, deputy city director for administration, explained.

The FREEMAN attempted to reach the Investigation and Detection Management branch of CCPO to confirm if the three cases not listed as cleared or solved have been dismissed. However, calls remained unanswered as of this writing.

On Sunday, Sinas ordered the relief of all police personnel in Talisay City after President Duterte labeled the city as one of the areas in Cebu heavily-infested by drugs.

A day after that, Sinas set his eyes on Cebu City, where some policemen, according to him, are being monitored for their unscrupulous acts.

“We are still investigating sa Cebu City. We are monitoring investigation sa Cebu City. Kung nahibaw-an ninyo, in our series of raid daghan mi nadakpan. We are looking on the cases being filed kay basin ang nahitabo dakop-dakop lang ni,” Sinas was quoted as saying in a previous report.

Sinas said the objective of filing drug cases is conviction of suspects and the number of dismissed illegal drug cases will be questioned.

Garma affirmed.

“Yes, I agree. Tama siya. I actually started reviewing the cases. I made review and very vulnerable ang cases. Pag-aralan and ituwid natin ang possible loopholes sa mga cases. We have to improve,” Garma said.

She said part of the ongoing internal cleansing is to keep a close watch on their personnel who are showing conduct unbecoming of a policeman.

“May mga investigators na kailangan bantayan. May mga operatives na kailangang bantayan din,” she said.