The Misamis Oriental Police Provincial Office (PPO) has launched an investigation into the allegation of a 16-year-old boy in Opol town that he was allegedly mauled by three policemen.

The investigation is led by the Provincial Women and Children Protection Unit.

According to the boy’s aunt, her nephew was waiting for his girlfriend at the gymnasium in Barangay Taboc when three men in civilian clothes approached him and introduced themselves as police officers.

The three men allegedly punched the boy and asked him if he was the founder or a member of a gang.

“Gikalitan daw siya og bunlot sa tulo ka pulis, gisumbag daw kuno siya. Paghuman og sumbag, giana daw ang iyang kwelyo ug gipangutana siya kung member o founder ba siya sa gang. Ingon siya, dili kay naghulat ko sa akong uyab. Paghuman ato, gikuha daw ang cellphone ug gibuak,” the boy’s aunt said.

The incident reportedly brought trauma to the boy.

He and his father tried to have the incident entered into the police blotter but they were allegedly not allowed to do so at the police station.

The police allegedly asked them if they had the money to pursue the case.

The next day, the boy’s aunt went to the station to confront the police.

“Pagpa-blotter, giignan daw siya nga naa ba daw silay ikabayad sa kaso kay mobali daw sila kung magpa-blotter sila. Nanguli na lang akong manghud. Anang pagkabuntag, niingon akong manghud, unsay among buhaton nga gibalibaran man mi sa hepe nga dili na ipa-blotter mao nangusog ko didto anang buntag… gipasulod mi sa kwarto, gitapukan mi… naa mi sa tunga… mura mi og kriminal nga ipa-delete daw ang video kay madaot daw sila,” the boy’s aunt said.

POLICE DENY

Opol Municipal Police Station chief, Major Mike Dioren Cavan, denied the allegations. He said no mauling took place.

“Ako pa gipangutana ang bata mismo. Ang iyang gi-istorya, ato nga gabii, gibira lang daw siya sa pulis, nahulog ang cellphone. Ngano gibira man ka sa pulis? Kay modagan man daw ko sir. Actually, member siya sa TBS true brown style nga gang,” Cavan said.

The Provincial Women and Children Protection Unit of the Misamis Oriental Police Provincial Office (PPO) has launched a parallel investigation into the incident.

Misamis Oriental PPO spokesperson, Captain Geraldine Botanas, assured the public that the investigation would be fair and impartial.

Botanas added that the police officers involved may face sanctions if they were found to have committed lapses.

“Gisiguro nato ang tukma ug patas nga imbestigasyon ug kung matin-aw ang tinuod nga panghitabo sa maong kaso, adunay silot ang maong miyembro sa kapulisan kung nakalapas sila sa maong kaso,” Botanas said.