By HERBIE GOMEZ Editor in chief MAYOR Oscar Moreno has expressed alarm over the possibility that there could be more rogues in the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) in the wake of last week’s arrest of five policemen linked to the Oct. 23 abduction of former overseas worker Enrique Fernandez III. The case is “symptomatic,” and highlighted the need for reforms and serious enforcement of laws in the city by the police, he said. Moreno said this on Friday even as he revealed for the first time that he was disappointed that city police director Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga did not bring the Fernandez case and the involvement of an entire Cocpo unit to his attention. “I kept quiet and did not ask the police questions... I learned about it from other sources... Cariaga never contacted me... I felt bad that I did not learn it from him,” Moreno told the Gold Star Daily. Moreno said when he and Cariaga bumped into each other during a function, he waited for the city’s police chief to initiate a discussion on the Fernandez case. But sensing that Cariaga won’t bring the matter up, Moreno said he told the police director, “I asked myself why you (Cariaga) did not call me.” The Fernandez abduction, he said, exposed the city police office, “the culture of impunity... and many others.” “This could just be the tip of the iceberg,” said Moreno. “Cariaga is being tested here; he has to show if he is worthy of being a leader.” While the public is seeing the “wheels of justice” moving with the arrest of the chief and members of the just-deactivated Crime against Persons and Property Desk of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), Moreno said the Fernandez case was indicative of what could be a bigger problem in the city’s police organization. “The story does not end there. This is symptomatic,” he said. Last week, the City Prosecutor’s Office approved the filing of a kidnapping case against Senior Insp. Ereneo Ramirez and his subordinates SPO2 Jojo Lim, SPO1 AlaindelonTacubao, PO3 Alejandro Ubanan and PO2 Sangkula Hussein, and three police “assets” (informers) in connection with the Oct. 23 abduction that was carried out in broad daylight ouside an e-bingo establishment at Uptown Condotel in Upper Carmen. The abduction of the 33-year old Fernandez, who has since gone missing, was caught on closed-circuit television camera that sparked a firestorm of criticism and public outrage as soon as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) released copies of the video recording. “I was shocked (while watching the video recording)... It was indefensible... illegal. It was abduction. Res ipsa loquitur (The thing speaks for itself),” said Moreno. “Nothing can be worse than law enforcers abducting people.” Moreno said he was concerned about how the Fernandez case would impact on the city’s peace and order image, and “this is a challenge to Cariaga.” “The immediate effect is, concern... Our city is being tested, or are we still focused on protecting our boys?” he asked rhetorically. He said there were two possibilities: “This is an isolated case or this is the modus (operandi)” of rogue police officers in the city. “That is something Cariaga should find out,” said Moreno. “I want to see what steps he is taking. I want him to succeed.” He said the National Police already has a system in place, and “they know what to do.” Moreno also called on citizens “who are similarly situated to come forward.” “They can go to city hall, and we will help them,” he said. At the same time, Moreno gave the Gold Star Daily a glance at how he has been dealing with the police, and peace and order concerns in the city. “I don’t go around belting (the police),” said Moreno, adding that local chief executives should not micromanage local police offices. “You don’t expect me to ride a horse, do you? I don’t do that.” He said local governments have “little influence” on the police because it is a national organization. “That’s why I never ask the PNP (Philippine National Police) who to appoint as police director because that would be counterproductive. I don’t recommend anyone. In order to be effective, I realize that teamwork is needed between Camp Alagar and Cocpo, and so I allow the regional director to pick his choice,” Moreno said.