By Jennifer P. Rendon
A man who identified himself as a policeman was arrested evening of Oct 27, 2022 at Jaro, Iloilo City.
It was by chance that Iloilo City Police Station 3 (ICPS3) intelligence personnel stumbled upon Jumar Blanco, 39, a native of Yakal St, Josephine Village, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
The two intelligence operatives were on board a motorcycle when they saw two male persons standing at the dimly-lit portion of Barangay Cubay, Jaro. Near them was a parked motorcycle.
The two police officers approached the duo but Blanco’s companion immediately boarded his motorcycle and sped off towards Barangay Balabago.
Blanco was subsequently asked what triggered his companion to drive away.
Instead of answering the cops, he introduced himself as a policeman.
“He doesn’t look like your regular policeman because of his height and how he carried himself,” Captain Eduardo Siacon, ICPS3 chief, said.
Blanco was then asked for his identification card and other pertinent documents.
But he failed to present any proof of him being a PNP personnel. He was then arrested.
When frisked, his black sling bag contained a caliber .45 pistol loaded with five pieces of ammunition, a black holster, a mobile phone, and two sachets of suspected shabu.
Siacon said Blanco claimed to be a trader of cooking oil.
He is allegedly renting a place at 7th St., Barangay Balantang Jaro, and another house in Roxas City, Capiz.
Blanco also claimed to be a resident of Santiago City, Isabela.
Siacon said Blanco has been giving inconsistent statements to investigators.
Initially, he claimed that he was not with the man who fled onboard the motorcycle.
Later on, he admitted that the said man, whom he doesn’t know personally, brought him to the area to hail a cab.
Aside from trading palm oil, Blanco claimed he was also employed as a driver and a delivery crew.
He also did not explain why he was in possession of a firearm.
Blanco is now detained and will be charged for violation of Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code (Usurpation of authority or official functions), Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).
