CEBU CITY – A criminal complaint for theft has been filed against a policeman accused of stealing cable wires owned by a telecommunications company.
Police Staff Sgt. Joel Superales Soliva will also face administrative charges that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will file against him, said Police Major Jose Angelo Acupinpin, chief of the operations branch of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
“It’s automatic that he will be charged with admin charges. His service firearm was confiscated during the arrest,” said Acupinpin.
Superales and his civilian companion Peter Lou Bantilo were arrested last May 28 after they were caught stealing cable wires in Barangay Guadalupe here.
The 50-meter wire with an estimated value of P50,000 is owned by Globe Telecoms which acted as complainant in the criminal complaint filed against the suspects.
The policeman has yet to post bail as of posting time. He was detained at the Guadalupe Police Station.
Police Brig. Gen. Eduardo Roque Vega, chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7), has issued a stern warning against policemen caught engaging in illegal activities.
“Team leaders are constantly advised during the pre-deployment in the morning to always remind their personnel to take their job seriously. They are warned that regional director will not hesitate to dismiss erring policemen from service,” said Acupinpin.
Acupinpin said the PNP’s internal cleansing will continue and that the filing of criminal complaint against Superales should serve as a stern warning against other policemen.