7 Zambo cops face one-rank demotion over detainees’ escape
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines/ BP Garcia–Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director Senior Superintendent Mario Yanga has recommended the one-rank demotion for the policemen who were on duty when four detainees bolted from the detention cell of a police station in this southern port city.
Yanga said he is not amenable that the policemen involved will just be reprimanded since the incident has placed the entire police organization in a bad light.
Four detainees facing charges ranging from rape, robbery and illegal cutting of trees have escaped last Sunday dawn from the detention cell of the Police Station 7, north of this city.
Investigation showed that they escaped after the detainees have sawed the window grills of the detention cell where they passed during their escape.
Two of them were immediately rearrested while one surrendered.
The last one was re-arrested Wednesday by Police Station 7 policemen in a follow-up operation in Lamitan City, Basilan province, south of this city.
Yanga said although the detainees were all recovered still the policemen have to answer the lapses and negligence on their part.
Police Station 7 chief Senior Inspector Elmer Acuña said he ordered the seven policemen on duty at the time of the incident to submit a written explanation why the incident happened.
Acuña said the policemen will be subjected to pre-charge proceedings before the police Internal Affairs Service (IAS) once they will be found of negligence in their duty.
Yanga said the incident would not have happened had the policemen especially the station guard been alert and diligently performing his duty.
He warned all the other police station chiefs to be always on their toes to prevent similar incidents to happen in their respective stations.
The ZCPO which Yanga heads has 11 police stations under it including one in Sacol Island, 34 kilometers east of this city. (BP Garcia, The PhilSouth Angle)
