CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The city police here have assured the public to immediately release the result of the investigation on a viral video footage showing a police officer in Divisoria police station hurting rescued minor individuals.
Lt. Col. Evan Viñas, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO), said in a phone interview on Friday, Oct. 28, that the said police officer involved already submitted his written explanation and that the City Investigation and Detective Management Unit is set to provide recommendations pertaining to the investigation result.
Viñas expressed hope that the said unit that is currently handling the case would provide the result and recommendations in the next coming days.
“Our city director Col. Aaron Mandia has said that as early as possible there must already be a recommendation or resolution pertaining to this. Maybe in the coming days,” he said in vernacular.
In the said video footage that has been circulating online, it showed one police officer who seemed to have punched some of the ten young individuals in their body after they went down from a police mobile patrol outside the said police station on Sunday, Oct. 23.
Maj. Sebastian Chua, Divisoria police chief, confirmed that the said minors were the company of the 13-year-old boy gang member who was stabbed to death by a member of a different gang in Corrales street, Barangay 24 on the same day.
This was echoed by Maj. Julius Saluta, the Cogon police chief, who further said that the police personnel of Divisoria police station were the ones who intercepted the said minors when they ran after the stabbing incident.
The apprehended minors were later on turned over to Cogon police station for the conduct of the investigation.
Saluta earlier said the 13-year-old dead victim was a member of ‘Kaibigan Lang Po’ gang and Raul Lumamba, 18, the suspect of the stabbing incident who was already arrested, is a member of ‘Soy Shit Dem’ gang.
The video gathered mixed good and bad comments. However, despite some of the netizens’ approval on the side of the police, the COCPO has reiterated that they would still not tolerate the said violent behavior.
There was only one police officer who committed the said violent act according to the video, however, Viñas said in their initial investigation that there were four police officers who were tasked to submit their explanation.
The City Investigation and Detective Management Unit of COCPO is also currently investigating the participation of the other police personnel involved.
Various sports activities as interventions
After the death of the said 13-year-old gang member, it can be recalled that Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy asked the COCPO to look for solutions to resolve the crimes involving ‘gangs,’ where minors are mostly involved.
Aside from identifying the gangs in the city for a possible dialogue with the Mayor, Viñas said they will also tap the local government unit, especially the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to conduct various sports activities.
“This is to divert their attention from joining groups or gangs that have no good intentions,” he said.
“We will be conducting basketball tournaments and other sports activities, and we will also enhance their skills and talents,” he added.
On October 24, during the flag raising program in city hall, City Councilor John Michael Seno, who is also the SK Federation President, called on the COCPO to work with the SK in stopping gang violence in the city.