Gamboa to ‘hear both sides’ of robbery-extortion incident involving Masbate cops

Philippine National Police chief General Archie Gamboa said he will listen to “both sides” – the arresting team and the suspects – in the entrapment operation that led to the recent arrest of two Masbate cops for alleged robbery and extortion.

Gamboa made the statement in a news briefing at Camp General Simeon Ola, the headquarters of Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5), on Wednesday, July 15, when asked about conflicting versions of the incident from the cops who were arrested, and the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) which conducted the entrapment operation.

The incident involved the entrapment operation of IMEG against Major John Murray Cuturan, chief of the 502nd Maritime Police based in Masbate; and Staff Sergeant Rommel Naval on July 13. This was based on the complaint of a Cebu-based fishing vessel owner.

Gamboa said that on his way to Legazpi City that day, he got calls from both parties claiming their own versions of the incident.

“I said, to be fair but of course, I do not want you to go out of proportion, the PNP will resolve that internal issue among us. But rest assured – what I assure the public is kung sino man ang tama, then siya ang tama (whoever is right will prevail). I will promise you that. I will hear both sides,” he said.

Entrapment operation

The IMEG earlier announced the arrest of Cuturan and Naval after the cops reportedly received marked money during an entrapment operation in Masbate on July 13.

Bicol police spokesperson Major Maria Luisa Calubaquib said the suspects were arrested based on the complaint of Cebu-based fishing vessel owner Donato VIllaceran.

IMEG said the maritime cops previously intercepted Villaceran’s fishing vessel and arrested its skipper and 28 other crew members for illegal fishing. The cops reportedly contacted the vessel operator and demanded P400,000 in exchange for the release of the vessel and the crew, prompting the owner to seek help from IMEG.

Cuturan had denied the allegation.

Dismissal

At the Legazpi briefing, Gamboa was asked about his earlier statement that wanted the two cops “dismissed in 15 days,” pending their investigation.

The PNP chief said that at the time, he based that statement purely on the IMEG report on the Masbate operation.

“Why did I say 15 days? Me, I would just take it from the report of IMEG, I’m presuming  that their operation is legal and in order. That’s why if it is so – historically if IMEG conducts an operation, there’s so much credibility. That’s why right away I said 15 days for them to dismiss [the policemen],” Gamboa said in a mix of English and Filipino.

He added that when he made the statement in a Camp Crame briefing on July 13, he was responding to a question premised on the dismissal of two Ilocos Sur policemen, also pending their investigation. The Ilocos Sur cops are accused of the murder of a 15-year-old girl in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, after she filed a molestation case against one of them.

But with the exchange of allegations between the two parties involved in the Masbate operation, Gamboa said on Wednesday that the PNP would resolve the matter internally.

As for the supposed unnamed influential person allegedly behind the arrest of the Masbate cops,  Gamboa said: “Ang kampanya ko when it comes to internal cleansing, walang ninong-ninong tayo. Let’s say, for example, naudyok ang IMEG, kahit naudyok sila pero kung ang proseso tama, there was indeed bribery and then na-entrap then it’s immaterial kahit sino pa nandiyan nasa likod.”

(My campaign when it comes to internal cleansing is that there is no room for patrons. Let’s say, for example, the IMEG was coaxed, even if they were coaxed and the process was correct – there was indeed bribery and then entrapment – it’s immaterial whoever that person behind it is.)

“These are things that I will weigh,” he added.

Since he took over as PNP chief last year, Gamboa vowed to regain public confidence in the police force that had been eroded by allegations against his predecessor, former police chief Oscar Albayalde. – Rhaydz Barcia/Rappler.com