Monday, July 21, 2008 Genabe: We were not pressured by local gov't By Annabelle L. Ricalde
ACTING City Police Director Isagani Genabe Jr. said Friday the local government officials did not pressure Cagayan de Oro Police Office in handling investigation of the vehicular accident that killed 15-year-old Junrie Balingit.
Genabe made this clarification after Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director General Jesus Verzosa said that "procedural lapses" made by the local police may have been prompted by "undue pressure" from local government officials.
"There might be some pressures but there was no intervention as far as our job is concern. We do not allow anybody to interfere," Genabe told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Verzosa ordered Genabe to file a case of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide against Councilor Alden Bacal after noting that the traffic investigator had not yet filed a case a week after the accident happened.
He also gave police a lecture in Camp Alagar Friday on how to handle relations with local government units, which the PNP relies most on fuel and departamental subsidies.
"We could not set aside these pressure but all the more we have to enforce the law," said Verzosa.
Genabe said they will file a case against Bacal when the court opens Monday.
But lawyer James Judith said he will file a case of Mandamus against the police Monday to compel it to file a case against Bacal.
Judith, whose former clients are the parents of Junrie Ballingit, said he was dismayed by the delay of police traffic investigators on coming out with its report on the accident.
Genabe said there has been a delay because traffic investigators were still sorting out their evidence against Bacal.
"I'm not affected with it because it's not true, the police are doing their job freely without any intervention and pressure," Genabe said.
The relationship between local government officials and the police has always been a sore point, said Verzosa.
He pointed out that it is the LGUs that choose police officers to head the police forces in their localities.
"We have to deal with politicians everyday unlike the Armed Forces," a police officer said.
The PNP was created on December 13, 1990 after the passage of Republic Act 6975. It is administered and controlled by the National Police Commission, but have to rely on LGUs for fuel and other departmental requirements because of budgetary problems.
