Desk officer to face consequences for unattended station

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The relieved desk officer of San Enrique Police Station is likely to be held liable following the controversy over the unattended office.

Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Western Visayas police chief, said the investigation is ongoing against seven personnel of the San Enrique PNP.

“Based on the initial result of the investigation, the desk officer, Corporal Ryan Barbosa, has the most significant liability,” Wanky said.

Wanky explained that Barbosa was supposed to be at the police station even if he was off duty, as his reliever had not yet clocked in.

“It appeared that he left without waiting for his reliever. That’s tantamount to neglect of duty,” he said.

The chief of police, Police Captain Airel Dawn Parcon, might also be accountable based on the principle of command responsibility.

“As to the others, we’re still determining if they have liability,” Wanky added.

A separate criminal charge might be filed against two police personnel who allegedly coerced the complainant into retracting his statement.

Parcon and Barbosa were relieved effective May 25, along with Police Senior Master Sergeant Joan Matutino, Police Staff Sergeant Ma. Ella Cachuela, Police Staff Sergeant Jivelyn Parcon, Police Staff Sergeant Dyan Rey Parcon, and Police Corporal Laurence Sionosa. They were the duty officers when the video was taken early on May 21.

Colonel Bayani Razalan, Iloilo police chief, signed the relief order following clearance from Brigadier General Jack Wanky.

“We decided to administratively relieve the seven personnel of San Enrique PNP to avoid any whitewash in the investigation,” Razalan said.

He explained that removing them from their posts would prevent interference in the investigation and maintain the police force’s integrity.

The Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD) will conduct the probe to determine if there was culpability on their part.

The officers are now assigned to the IPPO headquarters at Camp Sumagaysay in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

Razalan has temporarily designated Captain Ivon Panes, the platoon leader of the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company (IPMFC), as officer-in-charge of San Enrique PNP.

Eight personnel from the 2nd IPMFC have also been reassigned to meet the personnel requirements of San Enrique PNP.

The San Enrique PNP gained attention after a social media influencer known as Kiko went to the police station at 4:30 a.m. and found it unattended. The video showed Kiko calling from outside the station gate, but no one responded.

The story took several twists, with Kiko allegedly apologizing for misrepresentation in his video, while there were also claims that police forced him to retract his initial claims. Kiko is also under investigation, and if found to have fabricated stories for content, he may face criminal charges.