PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. has ordered the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, the Human Rights Affairs Office and the Internal Affairs Service to randomly check police lock-up facilities to ensure that irregularities similar to those discovered inside an Angeles City police jail won’t be repeated.

The top cop also warned rogue policemen who have gone into the bad habit of arresting and jailing lawbreakers and demanding money for their release without any criminal charges that they will face the maximum penalty of dismissal from the force apart from seeing themselves behind bars too once they are identified and arrested.

“Kung kriminal talaga yung tao, i-file ninyo ang kaso at huwag na pagkaperahan. I appeal to our police officers na wag na paglaruan ang serbisyo kung talagang mahal nyo ang serbisyo niyo, make sure that all complaints are addressed. Kung kriminal din ang nagsusumbong, kung dapat makulong ikulong,” Gen. Acorda said.

The PNP chief issued the warning in the wake of a PNP-IMEG inspection of the Angeles City Police Station 2 in Pampanga two Fridays ago which led in the arrest of the local police chief and six of his men who were accused of illegally arresting and detaining 15 persons without any charges and demanding money in exchange for their liberty.

The operation conducted by the PNP-IMEG headed by Brigadier Gen. Warren F. De Leon triggered the administrative relief of Angeles City Police Office director, Colonel Juritz Rara who was temporarily assigned to the Police Regional Office 3’s Personnel Holding and Administrative Unit pending his investigation.

PNP Public Information Office chief, Brig. Gen. Redrico A. Maranan said that Rara was placed under investigation to determine if he is liable for the acts of the Station 2 personnel under the principle of command responsibility.

PUBLIC TRUST TO THE PNP SHOWING

Gen. Acorda said that the Angeles City incident is an indication that they are indeed getting the trust and the support of the citizenry.

“I’m saddened that despite our appeals, our announcements, meron pa ring iilan na lokong mga pulis. But I am looking at it positively na nagkakalakas na ng loob ang mga kababayan natin to report illegal activities and me positive action agad ang police officers natin,” he said.

“That’s a proof that police are acting positively if their colleagues are acting in an irregular way. That’s community engagement. This gives credence to our community that when they report something, positive actions will be done immediately,” Gen. Acorda said.

The PNP chief said that in the wake of the operation conducted by the PNP-IMEG, he has ordered aggressive actions including on-the-spot inspection of all police lock-up facilities to prevent similar illegal.

Gen. Acorda ordered the PNP-IMEG, the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office headed by Brig. Gen. Limuel E. Obon and the PNP Internal Affairs Service under Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo to lead the inspection of their lock-up facilities.

The top cop also said that the PNP-IMEG operation should keep their ground commanders on their toes round-the-clock.

“This should be a reminder to our commanders on the ground. Lumabas ka sa opisina mo. Mag-inspect ka. Let this be a part of their credentials that when they are being slated for higher position, kung pabaya siya dati, hindi siya dapat ma-promote o mabigyan ng mas magandang puwesto pa,” Gen. Acorda said.

Brig. Gen. De Leon said that they discovered that the accused Angeles City policemen were involved in so-called ‘planting’ of evidence.

“Kaya nahuli ang mga tao pinasok ang mga bahay pero no cases were filed kaya me irregularity. We also found out that me mga kaso din yung mga pulis na nahuli, sa pitong pulis, me lima na me administrative cases although nakabalik na sila sa duty after serving their suspension,” he said.

Brig. Gen. De Leon said that it also appeared that the arrested policemen were pouncing on targets who have previous criminal records, mostly for drugs.

PNP-IAS Deputy Inspector General, Brig. Gen. Joker T. Cuanzo said they are conducting a parallel investigation into the Angeles City incident.

Arrested during the PNP-IMEG operation were the chief of the Angeles City Police Station 2, Major Marvin Aquino and six of his men accused of illegally arresting and detaining without any charges 15 persons and demanding money in exchange for their liberty.

It turned out that 15 persons have been locked up at the Angeles City Police Station 2 Persons Under Police Custody or PUPCs without any criminal charges filed since their arrest in full violation of the so-called ’12, 18, 36 Rule.’

Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code says that authorities will not face arbitrary detention charges if they will deliver a suspect to judicial authorities within the following specific timeframes: 12 hours for a person accused of a crime punishably by light penalties; 18 hours for crime punishable by correctional penalties and 36 hours for crimes punishable by capital penalties.

In a report to Gen. Acorda, the official identified the others arrested as Master Sergeant Romulo Meligrito, Staff Sgts. Nikko Dave Marquez and Mark Steven Sison and Corporals Richard Gozum, Diosdado Villamor Jr. and Jaypee Mangilit.

A ‘civilian asset’ of the accused policemen identified as Esmael Arviola was also arrested during the same operation. He yielded an unlicensed caliber .38 revolver.

Brig. Gen. De Leon, prior to the operation, a complainant identified as Jonalyn Antonio went to their office to complain that her mother -Josephine, a vendor was illegally arrested and arbitrarily detained by the Angeles City policemen for alleged violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 inside their residence in Barangay Amsic in Angeles City around 11 p.m. last Sunday, May 28.

The complainant said that personnel of the Angeles City Police Station 2 demanded P30,000 from her in exchange for the filing of a mere case for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 or the anti-illegal gambling law instead of RA 9165.

In response, Brig. Gen. De Leon said that with the help of the Angeles City PNP Internal Affairs Service and the PNP Special Action Force, they conducted a surprise inspection of all Persons Under Police Custody or PUPCs at the Angeles City Police Station 2.

The official said that during an inspection of the PUPCs inside the Angeles City PS 2, they discovered that Josephine Antonio and 14 others were being held inside the jail without any criminal charges.

A record check, according to Brig. Gen. De Leon showed that the 15 PUPCs were arrested on the following date: Antonio (May 28); Liza Villaver (May 28); Beth Amas (May 27); Nolyn Canuel (May 27); Sarah Tolentino (May 27); Louisito Bumatay (May 27); Robert Pineda (May 29);

Arvin Manuel (May 29); Mark Anthony Garcia (May 25); Momel Boringan (May 31); Jurin Parker (May 4); Anthony Yano (4 a.m. of June 2); Windell Villaver (May 27); Carlyl Manaloto (May 27); and Dexter Garung (May 27).

The PUPCs were all ordinary Filipinos working either as vendors, construction workers, housekeepers and tricycle and truck drivers, the PNP-IMEG director said.

Brig. Gen. De Leon said that Meligrito, Villamor, Gozum and Mangilit were all members of the Station Intelligence and Drug Enforcement Unit while Marquez and Sison are both jailers/investigators and desk officers.

The arrested policemen and their civilian co-accused are now being held at the PNP-IMEG lock-up facility in Camp Crame facing a string of criminal and administrative charges.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon