NAPOLCOM HEARING. Atty. Aloha Peñaranda
presides the hearing of complaints against erring TMG
men in the hot cars seizure case. |
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The
existence of "simple evidence" that a policeman
has committed procedural lapses in making an arrest
may be enough to establish culpability of his administrative
charge.
This was the statement made by National Police Commission
(Napolcom) prosecutor Atty. Maximo Lasaca during an
interview with the Chronicle.
Unlike
criminal cases, Lasaca explained, administrative proceedings
require much lesser validation of evidence.
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If
there is prima facie evidence that a policeman committed
"a serious breach of procedure" in making an arrest
then he can be penalized, he said.
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However,
the four operatives of the Traffic Management Group
(TMG) being accused of carnapping and are facing administrative
charges said they can prove that the eight vehicles
they seized during operations here were stolen.
P/Insp.
Doroteo Tolentino, PO3 Jason Galimba and PO2 Eddie Marohum
of the TMG regional office submitted their counter-affidavits
during the pre-hearing conference Friday at the Napolcom
Bohol field office at Camp Dagohoy.
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One
other accused TMG operative, PO2 Edwin Santos, did not show
up during the said conference which was presided by Napolcom-7
hearing officer Atty. Aloha Peñaranda.
Although
the three TMG operatives present admitted they did not possess
an "Alarm Sheet" when they seized the vehicles of
complainants Handel Sarabosing and Isidoro Manalo, the policemen
said the vehicles were in fact verified to have been stolen
from their original owners.
The
group's affidavit noted that the vehicles of Sarabosing and
Manalo, as well as the 6 others seized, were in the TMG's
master list of "hot cars".
The
vehicles were also in a list of stolen vehicles at the Land
Transportation Office (LTO).
Results
of laboratory tests at the TMG's regional headquarters likewise
showed that the engine and chassis numbers of the two vehicles
have been tampered, the group claimed.
The
vehicles of Manalo and Sarabosing were among four vehicles
shipped to the TMG regional headquarters in Cebu.
Four
others remain at Camp Dagohoy after its owners petitioned
for a court order before their vehicles can be brought by
the traffic operatives to Cebu City.
The
TMG men face possible dismissal from service, other than the
criminal liability resulting from separate complaints filed
in court, if found guilty.
Hearings
are scheduled on November 27 and December 11.
MOTION
TO INHIBIT
PO2
Marohum manifested during the pre-hearing conference that
they will file a motion for inhibition against Napolcom-7
Director Atty. Bernardo Calibo.
According
to PO2 Marohum, they have agreed to file the motion as they
consider that the complainants are also Boholanos.
The
policemen said they will petition for the administrative hearings
to be conducted elsewhere and not here in the province.
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