9 Cavite cops axed over extortion, robbery
CAVITE Police Provincial Office director Colonel Christopher F. Olazo on Tuesday has ordered the relief and investigation of the eight members of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit of the Imus City Police Station over alleged extortion and robbery during a drug raid.
Col. Olazo said that prior to the release of the viral video, he received a report from the Imus CPS Station Drug Enforcement Unit that the policemen conducted an anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay Alapan 1-A around 8:10 p.m. last August 2.
The official said he ordered the relief of the nine after they were shown in a social media video entitled ‘Bahay ng isang retiradong propesora, niransak, ninakawan ng 8 Pulis Imus.’
The video showed some of the men shooing away their target’s neighbors and warning them not to take video of their acts. While the woman continued to shout for help, some of the suspects started cursing her with one even threatening to kill her.
The suspects eventually gained entry into the house as one of them drove their van near the house. The driver later was seen in the video hauling some things from the house while one of his companions said he found dried marijuana leaves in a motorcycle parked in the area.
The men eventually were seen bringing unknown objects inside their van.
The men who later turned out to be members of the Imus City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit were accused of robbery and conducting an illegal raid as they were not armed with any search warrant.
The reported operation led to the arrest of one Rebecca Caoile alias ‘Jam’ and her alleged cohort who yielded six sachets containing around 20 grams of shabu worth P136,000, a black pouch and a marked P500 bill.
The report was filed by investigator-on-case, Police Staff Sergeant Joselle Hernandez, who added that the suspects will be facing charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Col. Olazo said that acting Imus CPS chief, Lieutenant Col. Michael D. Batoctoy informed him of the incident which went viral. Immediately, he said that he ordered SDEU team leader and Imus CPS deputy chief, Major Alexes Tuazon and the eight accused policemen to explain the incident.
The Cavite police director said that Lt. Col. Batoctoy also requested the immediate relief of the SDEU team to prevent them from influencing the investigation.
Col. Olazo said that acting on the request of Batoctoy, he ordered the reassignment of the accused to the Cavite Provincial Administrative and Resource Management and the temporary recall of their Philippine National Police-issued firearms.
