ILOILO City – One of the four police officers tagged in the killing of businessman Delfin Britanico last year had been ordered dismissed by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) but for another case.
The dismissal order against Police Staff Sergeant Ricardo Cabrera Morante for grave misconduct was actually handed down last Nov. 29, 2016 yet but the decision failed to reach the policeman and strangely, the Napolcom regional office in Western Visayas and the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) were also not informed about it.
It was Britanico’s father, former congressman Salvador “Buddy” Britanico, who alerted the PRO-6 about Napolcom’s nearly five-year-old unimplemented dismissal order against Morante after making verifications with the Commission about the policeman.
The administrative complaint for grave misconduct against Morante was filed by restaurateur and interior designer Edgardo Suelo.
In his complaint, Suelo told Napolcom that on Sept. 13, 2007 Morante went to his (Suelo’s) restaurant for a drinking binge.
When the cop was later asked to pay, he refused, according to Suelo, and started kicking tables and chairs.
On July 2011, Napolcom found Morante guilty and punished him with one rank demotion.
Morante appealed the decision.
Napolcom junked the cop’s appeal and modified the penalty in a resolution dated Nov. 29, 2016.
From a mere demotion of rank, Morante was ordered dismissed from the police service, “taking into consideration the aggravating circumstance of taking advantage of official position when the offense was committed.”
However, when the Notice of Resolution was sent to Morante through registered mail, the same was returned to the Napolcom central office with the note “Return to Sender – for Unknown Addressee and moved out.”
Morante is currently restricted at the PRO-6’s Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU) with three other policemen tagged in the Britanico slay case – Police Staff Sergeant Michael Demegillo de Felipe; Police Staff Sergeant Freddie Hibalo Libo-on; and Police Master Sergeant Vernie Lui Escorial.
According to Police Corporal Joseph Andrew Joven who sought to be a state witness in the Britanico slay case on Jan. 19, 2020 in Barangay Nabitasan, La Paz district, Morante was the one who shot the businessman.
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, there was already a letter on the finality of the dismissal, but the regional police was yet to receive the dismissal order from the national police headquarters.
“I know Morante already knew of his dismissal. I know he would appeal the decision,” Malong said.
As soon as the dismissal order is served on Morante, he will be released from PRO-6’s Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit, and all his benefits and salary will stop./PN
