Cebu cops facing charges for shooting, robbery

TWO police officers are in hot water due to separate cases in Cebu yesterday dawn.

A Mandaue City police officer was arrested in Lapu-Lapu City for allegedly robbing a Japanese national who figured in a vehicular accident, while another police officer was placed under custody for a gunfight that broke out in a disco held in Sibonga town.

PO2 Bruce Taneo, a warrant server assigned at the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), was arrested at 12:30 a.m. Saturday for allegedly robbing 48-year-old Japanese national Masami Kon at Maximo Patalinhug Avenue, Lapu-Lapu City.

Kon, a native of Saitama, Japan, who is living temporarily in Nivel Hills, Cebu City, told police that he drove his brown Toyota Revo bearing plate number GPA 759 at past 11 p.m. going to the Mactan Export Processing Zone 2 (MEPZ-2) when the incident occurred.

Kon said he accidentally sideswiped a woman, causing him to get out of his vehicle to help her.

But he said Taneo approached and poked a gun at him, then took his wallet containing P12,000 cash and important documents including IDs.

Kon also claimed that the man boxed him several times and detached the rear plate number of his vehicle.

He later reported the incident to the Lapu-Lapu City police precinct.

Witnesses described the suspect as wearing a ball cap and clad in fatigues marked with “PNP Scout” and black undershirt marked with “Mandaue City Charter.”

Taneo later showed up at the precinct at 12:30 a.m. to clear his name and explained that he tried to arrest Kon for the accident.

But the police officer was arrested instead based on the testimonies of the witnesses.

When Taneo turned over Kon’s wallet, only P2,000 cash remained. Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, chief of the Mandaue City Police Office, said he ordered an administrative investigation against Taneo.

If proven guilty, criminal charges may be filed by the Lapu-Lapu City police against Taneo while administrative charges will be filed before the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), Gillamac added.

Gillamac said he received a report from Senior Supt. Anthony Obenza, Lapu-Lapu City police chief, that Taneo was allegedly involved in illegal drug activities in Humay-humay, Gun-ob.

In barangay Candagit, Sibonga town, a police officer assigned at the Regional Public Safety Battalion-7 (RPSB-7) was placed under custody of the Sibonga police in relation to a shoot-out in a barangay disco in the area at past 1 a.m. yesterday.

The police officer identified as PO2 Elrey Brady tried to mediate in a feud that broke out among the youths during a disco held in time for the Candagit fiesta.

He was helped by fellow police officer PO3 Nicolas Abapo, who was a residents there.

One of those who attended the disco identified as 27-year-old Felito Campana of Tungkil, Minglanilla town, allegedly opened fire causing Brady to shoot back.

The shoot-out injured four persons, including Campana.

Campana was rushed to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City for treatment.

Sibonga police said Campana, who sustained a gunshot wound on the waist, was drunk at the time of the shooting.

The other three injured persons identified as 25-year-old Jefferd Sarda of barangay Cang-aga, 37-year-old Ricky Llanos of barangay Candaguit and 13-year-old Eljun Recopelacion of barangay Mangyan.

All were in stable condition at the Carcar City District Hospital.

The 32-year-old Brady underwent a paraffin test for gunpowder burns while his service .9mm Barreta pistol was seized pending results of the investigation into the case.

With Correspondents Chito Aragon and Gabriel C. Bonjoc