TACLOBAN CITY-Albuera, Leyte police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, downplayed the complaint filed against him by Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Gomez on Wednesday (Nov.16) filed a seven-page complaint before the Napolcom-Manila for grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, dishonesty and conduct of unbecoming of a police officer against Espenido.
Also charged by Gomez were Inspector Leo Laraga of the regional office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and PO3 Hydie Yutrago of the Albuera police.
Laraga publicly named Gomez as one of the alleged protectors of the Espinosa drug group during a Senate inquiry while Yutrago was said to have “prepared” an affidavit where names of alleged drug protectors were mentioned.
“That is his right to file the complaint. As they say, we live in a democracy. I will just answer the complaint filed against me by the mayor,” Espenido said.
The Albuera police chief insisted that he never committed any wrongdoing on his campaign against illegal drugs in Albuera.
Espenido added that what he said was based on the affidavit executed by slain Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
“He and the others who also executed their affidavits came to our station voluntarily. We never used force for them to execute and sign the affidavit and they were assisted by lawyers when they did that,” he said.
Gomez, in filing the complaint, claimed that he has never been a supporter nor received money from the Espinosas.
He also alleged that the affidavits containing names of alleged drug protectors of the Espinosas were “ready-made.”
Three witnesses who later retracted the affidavits they signed, namely, Max Miro, Gado Stephen Bobares and Brian Anthony Gates Zaldivar, were “ready-made.”
By dragging his name to the Espinosas, the three police officials should be “punished for their deplorable acts in order to preserve the stringent standard for police officers.”
“Their complete disregard of the laws and rights of the innocent individuals clearly make them unworthy to remain in the police force,” Gomez said in his complaint.
He asked for the Napolcom that the three police officers be placed under preventive suspension order amid his complaint.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
