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LTO
mulls to charge CIDG chief
By KIT BAGAIPO
Administrative
and criminal charges may be filed against the head of the
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) based at
Camp Dagohoy who drew his gun and disarmed an operative of
the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
CIDG
chief Insp. Germano Mallari is in hot water after he threatened
to shoot and pointed his M16 rifle at LTO agent Ronald Lim
following the apprehension of a CIDG agent who was caught
driving an unregistered motorcycle and without a license.
Lim
told the Chronicle yesterday that he has personally agreed
to an amicable settlement with Mallari but his superiors in
the regional LTO want to file complaints against the CIDG
head.
In
a separate interview with the Chronicle, LTO Central Visayas
Assistant Regional Director Atty. Vicente Gador Jr. said that
"the act of drawing a gun and pointing it on Lim already
constitute a criminal offense".
"The
threat on the life of our operative was real," Gador
said.
Gador,
who is also the LTO's regional legal officer said that even
if the parties involved agreed to settle amicably, "the
conduct of Mallari is unbecoming of an officer, especially
that it was committed against a fellow law enforcer, and he
should answer for his behavior."
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Lim,
who is based in Cebu City, was sent here by the LTO
regional office after a request by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan
(SP) and the Bohol PNP to restore the deputation of
policemen and traffic enforcers in apprehending traffic
violators.
During
an actual traffic operation along CPG Avenue as part
of the deputation training, Lim chanced upon a certain
Ruben Butalid whom he caught driving without driver's
license and an unregistered motorcycle.
Butalid,
instead of showing his driver's license, introduced
himself as a CIDG agent to Lim and asked the latter
to call his superior, Mallari.
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Lim
issued a motor vehicle impounding receipt for the violations
despite the protestations of Butalid.
"I
had to show the deputized policemen and traffic enforcers
that no one is above the law," Lim said. The LTO agent
even told Butalid that he is also affiliated with the CIDG
in Cebu City.
But
a few hours after Lim brought Butalid's motorcycle at the
LTO-Tagbilaran impounding compound, Mallari came together
with other CIDG operatives.
Lim
disclosed that Mallari alighted from a vehicle drawing his
armalite rifle and told him to drop his firearm.
Mallari
then asked for Lim's identification and verified whether the
latter's claim being a CIDG agent was indeed true.
When
Mallari called his superiors in Cebu, it was confirmed that
Lim was affiliated with the CIDG in connection with his work
at LTO.
The
CIDG team insisted on taking the impounded motorcycle with
them saying it was issued by their regional office.
Aside
from Mallari's conduct, Gador said that there is a pending
penalty for the unregistered motorcycle and the violation
for driving without license.
The
CIDG chief could not just take the impounded vehicle, he said.
According
to Gador, he is still waiting for the written report from
Lim since the latter is still here in Bohol.
After
he receives the official report, Gador said he will be consulting
with other LTO officials to decide on filing a complaint against
Mallari.
MALLARI'S
SIDE
In
a separate interview, Mallari explained that he drew his firearm
and pointed it at Lim when he saw the latter was also armed.
Mallari
added that he was alarmed of Lim's claim that he is also a
CIDG operative, as reported by Butalid.
Mallari
said that the motorcycle issued to their unit, which he just
inherited from his predecessor, does not have registration
papers which is why they were not able to register it at the
LTO.
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