A police officer is now under investigation for allegedly robbing a farmer of money for his sick mother-in-law in Bacolod City yesterday morning.

PO1 Frankie Alojado was ordered restricted to Police Station 1 a few hours after Alex Bautista identified him as the law enforcer who allegedly took his P65,000, Bacolod City police director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, said.

Alojado, who is assigned at Police Station 7, denied the accusation and added that he was with his family in Isabela town during the incident.

“I will leave it to the investigators,” Alojado told the DAILY STAR as he sat alone at the investigation room of Police Station 1 last night.

Bautista, a farmer from Brgy. Caduhaan, Cadiz City , said he went to Bacolod to buy blood for his mother-in-law when Alojado and his two unidentified male companions took his money at the corner of Gatuslao-Lerio streets, in the city at about 6 a.m. yesterday.

“My family had to sell our house and lot in Aklan just to raise that money. It was for my mother-in-law's dialysis,” Bautista said.

Bautista did not see Alojado's nameplate during the incident but identified him later at the BCPO Traffic Management Unit office after Quebrar ordered him to report there.

He said Alojado was in full police uniform during the incident, noting that he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and black boots, which are standard accessories for TMU officers.

Alojado, a former TMU member, however said his former colleagues could attest to the fact that he had long surrendered his long-sleeved shirt and boots.

Bautista, on the other hand, said he was driving his motorcycle along Rizal Street , in the city, when the officer flagged him down near the San Sebastian Cathedral because his vehicle did not have a license plate.

Alojado allegedly confiscated his driver's license and told him to give him P1,000 as a “fine” if he wants to bring his motorcycle with him or it will be impounded at the BCPO, Bautista said.

Bautista, who admitted that he was willing to give Alojado the money, said he bargained with the officer until they agreed on a P500 “fine.”

After he gave Alojado the P500, which he took from a bundle of bills, Bautista said the officer, who was also on a motorcycle with one of his companions, instructed him to drive his vehicle. An unidentified man, who was a companion of Alojado, rode along with Bautista.

When they arrived at the corner of Gatuslao-Lerio streets, the unidentified man hit Bautista on his back while Alojado took the cash from the left front pocket pf his pants, Bautista said.

“I tried to resist but the man riding on my motorcycle hit me in the back so I gave up,” he said.

An unidentified woman later accompanied him to the Bombo Radyo office where reporters helped him.

POLICE LINE-UP

At about 2 p.m. yesterday, BCPO-TMU Senior Inspector Levy Pangue, ordered the 11 members of his group to assemble with their motorcycles so Bautista could see if the officer who robbed him was among them.

Bautista was not able to pinpoint anyone, prompting Bombo Radyo reporters to accompany him to the Traffic Management Group office at the Negros Occidental Police headquarters.

However, he also failed to identify any of the officers at the TMG office through their file pictures.

“I wouldn't just pinpoint anybody. I'm poor but I also have a conscience,” Bautista said.

He later identified Alojado in front of Pangue and the reporters who accompanied him.

“I cannot forget his face because we negotiated for around five minutes. I was directly staring at him,” Bautista said of Alojado's denial.

‘COULD NOT DO IT'

Two of Alojado's former colleagues at the TMU said they don't believe the officer could have robbed Bautista.

“Even if I think about it for a thousand times, I cannot imagine him doing it,” one of the officers said.

The other officer said Alojado would even reprimand drivers who would try to offer him money during his stint at the TMU.

“He would even slap the money on your face,” the officer said.

Both, however, said it would be up to Alojado to defend himself.

DUE PROCESS

Police Station 1 commander, Chief Inspector Noel Manaay, said they are now preparing the documents for the filing of charges against Alojado.

“We're looking for more evidence and witnesses,” he said.

Quebrar, on the other hand, said he will let the due process take its course to erase doubts that the police would protect Alojado.

“He will have to answer the charges and it would be up to the court decide (on the case),” he said.

He has ordered Alojado to be disarmed while the investigation is ongoing, Quebrar said.

“It's bad news for the police force but we cannot do anything about it,” Quebrar said.*PP

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