ILOILO – The chief of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s (IPPO) Investigation Division, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Pinuela, claimed his suspension for six mpnths ordered by the Office of the Ombudsman was a form of harassment.
“Wala na sang iban sa likod sini kay ang nag-file sa akon kag ang witness tinawo ni Biron, so wala na sang basulon,” said Pinuela in a press conference at the IPPO yesterday.
Pinuela received his suspension order on Wednesday. It was signed by Cornelio Somido, deputy ombudsman for Luzon.
Pinuela was charged for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct filed by Jeffrey Mar Agub.
Agub claimed that on May 9, around 6:30 p.m., he was inside the office of Biron’s foundation on JT Baterna Street, Barangay Ilaya Poblacion, Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo. Pinuela allegedly threatened him with a gun and tried to frisk him. He resisted.
Pinuela denied pointing a gun at Agub, but he admitted that he was armed with his service firearm.
The Ombudsman said denial is inherently a weak defense a gave more credence to witnesses and evidence. It found Pinuela guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct.
Pinuela was slapped with a penalty of six-month suspension.
Police Captain Charlie Sustento was also present in Pinuela’s press conference. He also castigated Biron.
Sustento was previously dismissed for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2017. He blamed Biron, too.
‘NO HARASSMENT’
In a statement, Biron denied Pinuela’s assertion.
“I was surprised to find my name being dragged into the cases of Police Captain Charlie Sustento and Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Pinuela as I am in no way involved in the resolution of any of these cases in any shape or form. In fact, if anyone can prove my involvement in the resolution of these cases, I will withdraw myself from public service,” he said.
Sustento was previously dismissed for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2017.
“That case was filed by private citizens, whom I have never met. They alleged that they were punched and threatened with firearms,” said Biron.
Here’s the rest of his statement:
“I learned today after I was informed of the insults thrown at my name during a radio interview that Lieutenant Colonel Pinuela was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman as a result of a complaint filed by another private citizen.
“I cannot stress this enough: Wala ako nagahilabot kag wala ako sang kapasidad maghilabot sa desisyon sang Ombudsman sa mga kaso nila. They were afforded due process in the years it took the Office of the Ombudsman to resolve the cases.
“Sustento, for many years now, has been making unsubstantiated, slanderous claims against me. He also issued threatening remarks laced with criminal intent. Now I have no choice but to defend myself in our courts of justice.
“Ours is a democracy, thus we welcome criticisms even from obvious politically-motivated sectors out to do the biddings of their political masters. But we have also the right to defend our name with truth and fairness, without which there is no justice.”/PN
