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| NEWS > 20 September 2007 |
Other related articles:
Seattle: Firm gets millions to
Claims of excessive force, false arrest and other police misconduct have been a booming business for a law firm that has defended Seattle police for nearly four decades.
The firm has been accused of using its clout to kill internal investigations, an allegation it denies.
The city of Seattle has paid more than $6.3 million since 2002 to Stafford Frey Cooper and millions more before that, while still paying out settlements in many cases with the highest legal bills. The city has never put the contract for legal services out to bid and may not be able to because of a long-stan... Read more
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Inquirer.net - Philippines
20 September 2007
This article appeared in the above title/site.
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Drunk cop gets flak
CEBU CITY, Philippines - Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) director Chief Supt. Silverio Alarcio Jr. said he was surprised, angry and embarrassed when he saw on national television how a drunken ranking police official in Mandaue City mauled a television cameraman after a traffic accident.
Alarcio was in Manila when he saw the incident involving Subangdaku police station chief Sr. Insp. Jose Liddawa Jr.
“Nagulat ako at bakit may police na ganun,” Alarcio said over dyLA.
He said he was angry and at the same time, embarrassed at the conduct of one of his policemen.
“Of course, as the regional commander, nagalit tayo bakit naging ganun ang ugali niya,” he said.
Alarcio said Liddawa has been relieved from his post and will be subjected to summary dismissal proceeding.
He said Liddawa will also face preventive suspension pending the investigation but this would depend on the recommendation of the unit tasked to conduct the probe.
“It is very unfortunate na meron pang mga officers na ganyan, who instead of protecting the people, siya pa ang nagsisimula ng gulo,” he said.
He assured that Liddawa will face the consequences of his action.
Asked if he would recommend his dismissal from service, Alarcio said it would depend on the result of the summary dismissal proceeding.
Meanwhile, National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) regional director Bernardo Calibo also said that his office would monitor the administrative investigation against Liddawa to prevent any public impression of a whitewash on the case.
But Calibo said any white wash will be a very remote possibility.
“Napolcom is assisting the PNP (Philippine National Police) on this matter and the penalty will depend on the gravity of the circumstances,” he said.
Calibo said Mandaue City police chief Senior Supt. Rodel Calungsod would serve as complainant.
Under the administrative case, Calibo said Liddawa faces grave misconduct with a minimum penalty of suspension and maximum penalty of dismissal from service.
“He committed an offense while drunk and that is a grave offense,” he said.
On the criminal aspect of the case, Calibo said complainants would also file charges before the prosecutor's office.
On the part of ABS-CBN, there is no official decision yet on whether the network will file a case against the drunk cop, but the station's reporter and cameraman yesterday filed their affidavits at the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).
Police investigators also conducted a pre-charge investigation and initial results showed that Liddawa is liable for administrative charges.
Calungsod said initial findings submitted to the PNP regional office showed that Liddawa's alleged “grave misconduct was tantamount to conduct unbecoming of a police officer.”
Liddawa, in a separate interview, reiterated that he was “sorry” for what he did and that he will await investigation. “Sasagutin ko na lang lahat sa investigation,” he told Cebu Daily News.
ABS-CBN reporter Ramil Paican, in a separate interview, said he is willing to accept the Liddawa's apologies “if I were to decide.”
“Pasaylo-on lang unta kung ako ra ang magbuot kay kristyano man ta, pero naa man ta mga balaod (If I am given the free hand, I would forgive him as a Christian, but there are laws to follow,” said Paican during an interview at the MCPO where he filed his affidavit.
But the decision rests on the network's management, said Paican, adding that network officials are meeting lawyers from Manila.
Ramon Villar, MCPO intelligence chief who led the initial probe said that they still have to get an official statement from Liddawa.
“Once we get his statement, we will give our recommendation to the regional office, and it is the regional office which will resolve the case,” Villar said.
Calungsod earlier said any penalty is likely to constitute more than 30 days suspension.
At around 1:30 am Tuesday, the TV news crew on board an ABS-CBN Nissan Frontier was traveling along MC Briones street in barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City when their driver, Samuel Trangia, saw a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction within their lane.
Liddawa was driving the vehicle and had a male passenger in white shirt.
“We thought that the said vehicle would park at the roadside and we slowed down. But it returned to our lane and went straight at us and our driver decided to stop. But the vehicle was hit head on...,” the joint affidavit of Paican and ABS-CBN cameraman Joel Noel read.
Noel brought with him to the MCPO intelligence office his torn shirt which he was wearing during his tussle with Liddawa. During the commotion, the two fell to the ground.
Noel was able to get up, but Liddawa remainedd lying on the concrete road, the affidavit added.
“I focused my attention on his companion and called our driver to watch Liddawa's unidentified companion to prevent him from getting the firearm inside the (Liddawa's) car,” Noel said.
Asked if Liddawa's companion was a policeman, Villar said the person did not look familiar.
Alarcio, meanwhile, appealed to the public not to condemn all policemen based on Liddawa's behavior.
At the same time, he warned other policemen to comply with their code of conduct or they will be sanctioned accordingly.
“I am encouraging policemen of region 7 to behave in accordance with our code of conduct and our standards of behavior. Whoever does not comply with them, we will apply administrative proceedings against them,” Alarcio said.
For policemen who usually drink liquor, Calibo said: “Those who don't know how to handle themselves when they drink, it's better for them to drink milk.”
To subscribe to the Cebu Daily News newspaper, call +63 2 (032) 233-6046 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here.
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