A real estate developer from Hinoba-an town said she will file charges at the Ombudsman for dereliction of duty against Police Inspector Mateo Maguate for failing to respond to her call for immediate police assistance.

Jeanette Tongoy said she called the Hinoba-an police station on Jan. 8 to report her neighbors Edwin Delos Reyes and his son Melvin who were threatening to harm her and her family but the police ignored her call.

She claimed that Edwin pointed a gun at her while his son Melvin threatened to hit her with a thick piece of wood after she requested them to tone down the volume of their sound system.

Tongoy said the Delos Reyes family live across their house in Sitio Totong, Barangay Sampaguita, Hinoba-an and the noise from the sound system, often turned at full volume, made it impossible for them to have normal conversation in their compound.

She said the violent reaction of the Delos Reyeses to her request prompted her to call the police but it took more than an hour before Maguate actually went to the place to investigate.

Tongoy said she has witnesses who will testify to the grave threats on her life, family, staff and property.

Meanwhile, police provincial director Senior Superintendent Rosendo Franco said policemen are always ready to face complaints against them and Tongoy has the right to file charges against Maguate.

He said that policemen are bound by their duty to maintain peace and order at all times but sometimes the public are not satisfied with the way they handle their responsibilities, Franco said.*NAB

back to top