Jaro cops face raps for illegally detaining businessman
Suelo
Two policemen from Jaro Police Station are facing charges for Slander, Alarm and Scandal, Arbitrary Detention, and Falsification filed by a restaurant and bar owner.
Edgardo Suelo, owner of Casitas Restobar in E. Lopez St., Jaro, sued Police Officer 2 (PO2) Ricardo Morante and Senior Insp. Jerry Empizo, chief of the Jaro Police Station, over an incident which occurred inside the Casitas Restobar last September 23.
In a complaint filed with the Iloilo City Prosecution Office, Suelo alleged that around 11:40 p.m. of Sept. 23, his waiter Delbert Acac and restaurant manager Orson Orleans approached and told him that a policeman whom he later identified as Morante was asking for beers and viands (sumsuman).
Suelo alleged that when he went to see Morante the policeman berated him saying "Waay ka kakilala sa akon. Police officer ko sa Jaro, (You don't know me? I'm a police officer from Jaro)."
Because of the confrontation Suelo walked away from Morante but the latter allegedly followed him and continued to hurl invectives at him.
Suelo further alleged that Morante also turned his ire to Acac, threatening to shoot him.
But when policemen from Jaro arrived, Suelo alleged, Morante told his colleagues to have him arrested. Morante alleged that Suelo defamed him in front of his friends.
Suelo complained that when they reached Jaro Police Station, Senior Insp. Empizo ordered his detention based only on the allegations made by Morante.
Suelo strongly denied that he defamed Morante. He said the police blotter entered by Morante were full of lies, falsities, fabrication and concoction.
Suelo was released from detention 6:30 p.m. the following day, Sept. 24.
Suelo alleged that his arrest and eventual detention was illegal since he did not commit a crime thus he filed case of Arbitrary Detention against Empizo.
Morante, on the other hand, was sued for Slander, Alarm and Scandal, Arbitrary Detention and Falsification.