By: Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A police non-commissioned officer was relieved from his post on Monday after being accused of abusing a 11-year-old relative in Bago City, Negros Occidental.
Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) withheld the name of the 49-year-old suspect previously assigned at San Enrique Municipal Police Station.
Baleros said they cannot divulge the name of the policeman to also protect the 11-year-old victim, adding that “this is a sensitive case.”
Baleros ordered the police officer to be transferred to Nocppo headquarters here, pending the investigation of the Provincial Internal Affairs Service (PIAS) on the statutory rape charge against the officer.
“He is under the restricted custody of Nocppo,” Baleros said, adding that the officer will also be disarmed during the investigation.
A criminal complaint for statutory rape was already filed yesterday before the Bago City Prosecutor’s Office against the suspect, said Police Lieutenant Leonel Adolacion, deputy police chief of Bago City Police Station.
Adolacion said the suspect allegedly sexually abused his granddaughter, who is his niece’s daughter, on October 25, 26, and 27, he added.
The victim reported her ordeal to her father when she went home last week.
The victim is now with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Meanwhile, Baleros said he already talked to the police officer yesterday and the latter denied the accusations against him, claiming that the victim was probably referring to her boyfriend.
“May boyfriend daw ang bata at baka nagkaroon sila ng sexual intercourse at siya lang daw ang itinuturo,” he added.
“Pagala-gala daw ang bata kaya kinupkop niya kasi relative niya din naman,” Baleros said, adding that the child is staying at the house of the policeman’s 20-year-old partner.
Baleros said the policeman will also undergo drug test.
“If we have gathered strong evidence for his possible conviction, then it is a ground for his dismissal from the police service,” he added.
He said they will conduct an independent investigation to give due process and fair trial to the policeman.
