Four of them have been sued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for kidnapping and illegal detention and for violating Republic Act 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
The four officials are Staff Sergeants Rey David Aumentado, Rex Forrosuelo, Marjun Milar and Jemechiel Gemang.
The suspects were identified through a closed circuit television (CCTV) footage secured by the NBI from the area where the incident occurred.
The identities of their two other companions onboard a motorcycle who were also captured in the surveillance camera are still being verified.
Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO 7) Director Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, clarified that the police officers are not under their command.
Randolph Barliso Restauro, 30, and Gemalen Elorde, 26, both residents of Velmiro Heights Subdivision in Barangay Abono, Minglanilla town, went to the NBI to ask for assistance.
The victims narrated that around 1 a.m. of March 26, they rode a motorcycle going to 7-Eleven store in Barangay Abono, when two motorcycle-riding men blocked their path along Tungkop National High School, causing them to crash and sustain injuries.
Minutes later, a dark brown Toyota Innova pulled over, and its two occupants forced them to board the vehicle.
While inside the car, Randolph’s hands were handcuffed, while Gemalen was blindfolded.
The victims said the accused kept hitting them in the body as they were being driven toward Cebu City while searching for illegal substances.
When the policemen did not find any, they returned to Tungkop and dropped the victims there at 4:30 a.m. of the same day.
Although only six policemen were involved in the incident, their two other companions were also relieved for being part of their team.
Due to the incident, General Aberin once again reminded his personnel to be always truthful when doing anti-criminality operation.
“The standing instruction of our new chief PNP, ang atong operation must always be done in accord with the policy, sa palisiya diha ang atong police operation magsubay ug kahibalo nata nga ang PNP dili gyud mo tolerate sa mga ingun ani, ug kami mismo sa PNP will conduct og thorough and fair investigation, after sa investigation nga makita nato nga ang atong police sad-an gyud we will not hesitate to impose the penalty nga appropriate para nila,” Pelare said.
Pelare said the PNP will also conduct its own investigation on the incident. (AYB/TPT)
