Cuevas OKs 90-day suspension of 6 Balasan cops
Effective Monday, January 25, six members of Balasan Police Station will take a quite lengthy absence from the police service.
This as SPO1 Antonio Pastrana, PO2 Rommel Bactosolo, PO1 Francis Francisco, PO1 Nathaniel Gabo, PO1 Ramon Allan Elambre, and PO3 Rey Labordo were slapped with a 90-day preventive suspension relative to the administrative case of serious neglect of duty slapped against them before the Provincial Internal Affairs Service (PIAS).
PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas approved the suspension last January 13.
The six policemen were implicated in the death of an inmate last December 20, 2009.
In the autopsy conducted on the body of 27-year old Antonio Bagohara, it was learned that he was beaten to death.
According to PNP Regional Crime Laboratory medico-legal officer Dr. Noel Martinez, the victim suffered traumatic injuries perpetrated by more than one person alone.
“Ang 4, 5, 6 niya nga gusok sa wala may bali. Nagtuslok ini sa iya baga, amo to nga nag internal bleeding sa wala niya nga baga,” Martinez added.
He also suffered abrasions and hematoma
To note, it only took hours since Bagohara of Brgy Brgy. Aranjuez, Balasan, Iloilo got arrested until he was proclaimed dead while behind bars.
The incident started when Bagohara was arrested on the evening of December 20 at Poblacion, Balasan town.
A certain Ramon Obledo complained that the detainee waylaid and attempted to stab him.
Reports claimed that five policemen led by SPO1 Antonio Pastrana responded to arrest the suspect-turned-victim.
According to witness Nomar de Asis, before Bagobara was even brought to the police station, he already tasted the complainant’s wrath.
The alleged physical beating on Bagohara did not end there.
When he reached the police station, another witness, Arnel de Asis, claimed that he saw fireman Allan Catalan mauling the victim in front of Balasan cops.
Arnel de Asis claimed that during the incident, Balasan PNP was celebrating their Christmas party.
He asserted to have seen Bagohara’s hapless condition.
“Nagakulob siya. Ang tiil niya may gapos. Indi lang ko ka identify kung ano ang gapos. Pero daw lapat siguro. Tapos ang kamot, nakabaklid tapos may gapos man. Ang baba, may busal,” Arnel claimed.
It was gathered that even Bagohara’s co-prisoners also physically maltreated him.
