A police colonel who was arrested in a pot session last month in Las Pinas City was released after posting a P240,000 bail on Friday, according to the Southern Police District.
Chief Supt. Tomas Apolinario Jr., SPD director, said Supt. Lito Cabamongan, former chief of the SPD Crime Laboratory Service-Alabang Satellite Office in Muntinlupa City, was ordered temporarily released by Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 201 Judge Lorna Domingo.
Initially, the Las Piñas police filed violations of Section 13 or possession of dangerous drugs during parties and meetings (non-bailable); Section 14 or possession of paraphernalia, equipment, instruments of drugs (bailable); and Section 15 or use of dangerous drugs (bailable) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against Cabamongan.
However, the court downgraded the cases filed to Section 12 or possession of drugs and paraphernalia and Section 15, which are both bailable offenses, Apolinario said.
“Further, the aggravating circumstance as senior police officer, so as to be denied bail, was not considered (by the court),” Apolinario revealed.
Senior Supt. Marion Balonglong, chief of the Las the Piñas police, said he was disappointed with the decision of the court since Cabamongan was the highest-ranking police officer to be arrested involving illegal drugs.
“We will look into that kung ano ang pwede naming gawin to bring him back into jail. I am disappointed, kaya sinabihan ko sila subukan natin habulin,” Balonglong said.
Apolinario said that Cabamongan, now assigned at the Holding Center of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory, was not yet off the hook since he “still has an ongoing administrative case on the incident he was involved in” before the PNP-Internal Affairs Service. (Martin Sadongdong)