Talamban police deny CHR access to blotter

THE Talamban Police Station has refused the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) access to the blotter and police report in the investigation of the mauling of three civilians involving police.

Other developments

• Cebu City Police Chief Royina Garma is topping by P100,000 Mayor Tomas Osmeña's reward of P100,000 for information on the identities of the armed men believed to be policemen who mauled three male civilians.
• Garma offered P200,000, which she said she will source from friends.
• Talamban police chief Elisandro Quijano is facing investigation for the alleged involvement of his men in the mauling of three male civilians in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City on April 18.

Quijano, on Garma's orders, submitted on Friday afternoon, April 26, his report on the buy-bust operation that resulted in the arrest of Eddie Basillote, one of the three men mauled.

Asked for the content of the report, Garma said she has yet to read it.

Garma told the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) to conduct the inquiry and get the original copy of the video of the mauling to be enhanced.

"I directed the IDMB to check if there were lapses in police operational procedure and the chief of police will be liable of course for command responsibility," Garma said.

She said she has allowed the police teams to cross to other jurisdictions in drug bust operations.

Meanwhile, CHR 7 Regional Director Arvin Odron said the Talamban police refused the CHR team access to the blotter and police report upon the 2017 mandate of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In 2017 then PNP chief Ronald "Bato" de la Rosa mandated the police force not to share documents with CHR needed to build a case.

Eddie Basillote, the subject of the anti-drug operation, has since been arrested and detained at the Talamban police station. He and two other men were mauled during the police operation.

Basillote's family has approached the CHR for help.

The CHR team, Odron said, went to Carreta, where the mauling happened inside a gaming shop to talk to Basillote's family and witnesses.

But when the CHR team went to the Talamban police station, they were not allowed to see the police blotter and police report, Odron said.

Basillote, showing his bruises, had said in a TV Patrol Central Visayas report that he was mauled.

He said he saw one of the operatives who hurt him in the police station.

On the monetary reward, Garma said: "Bigay din ako P200,000 kung sino yung magpunta dito at maging witness at mag-execute ng affidavit and show me the evidence. Kung 100 siya, 200 ako para once and for all matapos na to. Puro tayo intriga, I want facts." Osmeña, who has expressed distrust in the current police leadership, has offered to give a P100,000-reward to anyone who can identify the operatives. (JJL, AYB of SuperVoxPop Cebu, KAL)