ILOILO City – Three police officers were relieved from their posts and charged criminally and administratively with violating the liquor ban in line with the community quarantine being imposed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The three were Police Staff Sergeant Roy Panaguiton of Sebaste, Antique police station; Police Corporal Arnie Luminario of the Molo district police station here; and Police Staff Sergeant Paul Pingoy assigned at the intelligence division of the regional police headquarters.
Panaguiton is currently restricted at the Antique Police Provincial Office while Pingoy and Luminario at the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) and Iloilo City Police Office, respectively.
According to PRO-6 spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert Gorero, no less than Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, regional police director, ordered the relief of the three policemen.
“We have to impose disciplinary action against them. They were supposed to be the arresting officers but they were the ones violating the liquor ban,” said Gorero.
The three police officers were among the 29 liquor ban violators arrested across the region since the community quarantine was enforced across the region.
They were charged for violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code or disobedience in relation to liquor ban.
The charges against Panaguiton and Luminario were filed on May 5 while Pingoy’s on May 9.
Panaguiton was apprehended in the town of Pandan, Antique on May 5 while Pingoy was arrested at a Santa Barbara, Iloilo checkpoint on May 8. Luminario was caught in Iloilo City on May 4 in Passi City.
They were transporting boxes of liquor.
Pamuspusan, on the other hand, commended the policemen who apprehended their three colleagues.
“Erring police officers have no place in the PRO-6,” said Pamuspusan./PN
