Leyte cop linked to death of 60-yr-old phone thief commits suicide – police

LEYTE, Philippines – A police officer of Ormoc City who is facing a murder complaint for the death of a 60-year-old-phone thief was found dead in his home in an apparent case of suicide, Eastern Visayas Police chief Superintendent Gilbert Cruz said.

Police Officer 3 (PO3) Eleazar Tero, one of the 5 policemen from Ormoc Police Station 1 facing the complaint, hung himself in his room and was found lifeless on the morning of Wednesday, September 27, Cruz said.

“Family lang ang nakakaalam ng reason bakit nagpakamatay si Tero, but they want to be silent about it nalang. Pina-imbistigahan ko din ang suicide incident at yun ang lumabas na talagang suicide ang nangyari,” Cruz told Rappler.

(His family is the only one who knows the reason why Tero took his own life, but they want to be silent about it. I am ordering an investigation into the suicide incident but it looks like it was really a case of suicide.)

Tero was brought to the Ormoc District Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. 

Tero, his station commander Chief Inspector Omar Cartalla, PO2 Ernie Clemencio, PO1 Ryan Refuerzo and PO1 Ritchie Sy were lodged with a murder complaint before the Ormoc City Prosecutors Office for allegedly killing 60-year-old Lorna Soza last August.

Soza was caught on CCTV stealing a mobile phone from a store in Ormoc City on August 6. The old woman asked for forgiveness from the store owner and paid P10,000 for the phone.

The store owner did not press charges, but Soza was still detained. For this, Tero and colleague Clemencio face a separte complaint of arbitrary detention.

Soza was eventually found dead along the highway of Kananga town in Leyte. Kananga police said that the Ormoc Station 1 policemen took Soza from her detention cell and loaded her to a police vehicle, according to a report on GMA News Online.

All 5 policemen of Ormoc City have already been relieved from their posts, before Tero’s passing on Wednesday.

Cruz said justice will be served against everybody who violated the law.

“Although I am quick sa pagbibigay reward, pero I am more quick sa pagbibigay punishment pag nagkamali ang police ko,” Cruz said.

(Although I am quick in giving out rewards, I am quicker in meting out punishments for erring policemen.) – Rappler.com