2 Cagayan de Oro cops probed after guns stolen from car

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) has launched an investigation to determine the administrative liability of two police officers whose government-issued firearms were stolen from their parked car while they were at a beach resort here over the weekend.

The officers, who are assigned to Police Station 10 in Barangay Cugman, fell victim to a “basag-kotse” (car break-in) incident at Raagas Beach in Barangay Bonbon at around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17. The location is roughly 11 kilometers away on the opposite side of the city from their assigned post.

Thieves shattered the left-side window of the officers’ red Toyota Vios, carting off their two loaded Glock 17 service pistols and an iPhone 11.

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READ: PNP tracing crime links of guns sold by 2 Caloocan cops

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Maj. Joann Navarro, PRO-10 spokesperson, told the Inquirer on Wednesday that the regional command is looking into the officers’ duty status and their exact purpose at the resort at the time of the theft.

“The incident is under investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the break-in and the loss of the police officers’ issued firearms,” Navarro said. “Should the investigation establish negligence or any violation of PNP policies, the personnel involved will face appropriate administrative sanctions. We will ensure accountability while uphold[ing] due process.”

Navarro said initial information suggests the cops were off duty, though she is still awaiting a copy of the official incident report and their duty schedule from the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO).

“They will definitely face an administrative case for the loss of the firearms,” she said. “Our job is to investigate who the culprit is because a crime occurred, and to determine if they have any liability as to why the firearms were just left in the vehicle.”

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Standard police procedure requires officers to keep their issued firearms with them.

She pointed out that the motu propio (on its own initiative) investigation is critical because the lost government resources pose a direct threat to public safety.

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“The lost firearms will add to the number of loose firearms, which could be used by criminals to commit more crimes. That is why police officers must truly safeguard them while they are issued to them,” Navarro added.

READ: 2 cops nabbed for alleged illegal gun sale in Caloocan City

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According to a COCPO advisory on Tuesday, Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) immediately processed the area. Investigators are currently backtracking nearby CCTV footage to identify and apprehend the suspects./coa