POLICE are tracking down six former members of the Imus City Police Station in Cavite who were fired from the service in October 2023 over an illegal raid and looting incident at the house of a teacher, Philippine National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean S. Fajardo said yesterday.

The manhunt was launched following the arrest of a fellow policeman by members of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Lucena City.

The seven were formerly under police custody but were eventually released after their dismissal papers were signed in October last year by then PNP chief, now retired Gen. Benjamin C. Acorda Jr..

An eight accused who happened to be a policewoman has already filed bail in connection with a robbery-extortion case filed against her and her former colleagues.

The policewoman was not among those dismissed from the police force as an investigation showed she was not among those who were involved in the illegal raid and looting incident.

The seven suspects were charged with robbery-extortion in court and are also facing administrative charges in connection with the raid, which became viral in the social media.

They were found guilty of administrative charges of grave misconduct, grave irregularity in the performance of duty, grave dishonesty and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

The accused were seen in a CCTV recording forcing their way into the house of 67-year-old former professor Rebecca Caoile in Bgy. Alapan 1-A in Imus City during an alleged buy-bust operation in August of the same year.

The CCTV footage showed the cops carrying some items from the house, including a tire and a motorcycle rim. Caoile’s son said the cops also took his savings worth P80,000, his laptop, and tools.

An investigation showed that the accused neither had a search warrant nor arrest warrant when they conducted the operation.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon