Police endorse charges vs cop before prosecutor’s office in Mindoro

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – The local police of Gloria town endorsed Monday, Feb. 21, 2022, before the prosecutor’s office the complaint against a policeman, who is facing charges of attempted robbery and damage to property when he allegedly entered and tried to rob a hardware on Friday night.

Police Master Sergeant Russeler S. Ordona of the Gloria municipal police station in Oriental Mindoro checks the investigation sheet against P/Corporal Leonell Maranan (middle) who is facing charges of attempted robbery before finally submitting it to the prosecutor’s office in Mindoro on Monday afternoon, Feb. 21, 2022. (Jerry Alcayde)

     Police Major Edwin Villarba, chief of Gloria municipal police station said they have already submitted all pertinent papers and the issued firearm of the suspect Police Corporal Leonell L. Maranan, 31, and other physical evidence to the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Pinamalayan for evaluation and proper disposition of the case.

    Cpl. Maranan is assigned at the Technical Support Company, Regional Mobile Force Batallion 4B.

     Villarba said they have also incorporated in their investigation sheet the complaint of Allan S. Mantaring, owner of ABC3 hardware where Maranan was caught at about 10:00 p.m. on Feb 18 by two barangay tanod who were patrolling the area in Barangay Sta. Maria.

     The police report showed that the two barangay tanod, Jay P. Semilla, 37, and Necole C. Pilapil, 22, were patrolling a residential-commercial area of their barangay when they were summoned by an unidentified witness who heard a noise from the back door of ABC3 Hardware owned by Mantaring.

     The tanod checked the door and saw that its doorknob was broken, and they also discovered pliers, screwdrivers, and a hammer on the floor that were allegedly used to destroy the said knob.

     Accordingly, the barangay tanod, guarded the place to identify the perpetrator whom they believed was already inside the store.

      After 30 minutes, a man came out of the establishment, who they immediately approached and apprehend. The suspect turned out to be  Maranan.

     Barangay Sta. Maria Chairman Wilson Paras later turned over the policeman to responding Gloria police personnel, including the hammer and other tools which were reportedly used by the suspect in entering the establishment.

     Villarba said the arrested policeman was also reportedly involved in online “sabong” or “talpak” which brought him huge losses.

     Brig. Gen. Sidney S. Hernia, regional director of Police Regional Office MIMAROPA (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) said Maranan will also be charged administratively before the PNP Internal Affairs Service of Oriental Mindoro.

     “I hope this incident shall serve as a stern warning to our personnel not to commit the same in the future, for our administration will maintain its strong fight against misfits in our rank,” Hernia said.