Fake Cop Nabbed in Cebu

The anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested a man for posing as a police officer in Cebu.

In a press statement late Monday, Integrity Monitoring Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief, Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, identified the suspect as Ruel Abella, 33, who was arrested along with his 16-year-old neighbor during an operation around 11:50 pm on Sunday in Barangay Lutopan in Toledo City.

Abella was placed under investigation after officers from the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Cebu Police Provincial Office reported that he introduced himself as a PNP-IMEG operative.

“We got a complaint that the suspect questioned the legality of the local police’s conduct of Oplan Katok and bravely introduced himself as an IMEG Visayas Field Unit member and even showed his identification card,” said Lee.

Upon confirming that the suspect is not a legitimate police officer, the Police Regional Office 7 (Central Visayas) and the IMEG Visayas Field Unit conducted the operation which led to his arrest.

Abella yielded a .45-caliber pistol with serial no. 261758, a magazine with seven live ammunition, and a hand grenade. The suspect’s Honda Mio scooter was impounded by the Cebu police.

The teen acquaintance of the suspect was arrested when he tried to flee while Abella was being arrested. Recovered from him were two heat-sealed plastic sachets containing suspected shabu.

Lee called on the public to report any PNP personnel (uniformed and non-uniformed) involved in any irregularities to the PNP-IMEG hotlines: SMART — 0998-970-2286 or GLOBE — 0995-795-2569. Information may also be forwarded to Facebook Page: Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group. (PNA)