PHILIPPINE National Police chief General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. 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 they will face the maximum penalty of dismissal from the force apart from seeing themselves behind bars too.

“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, to make sure that all complaints are addressed. Kung kriminal din ang nagsusumbong, kung dapat makulong ikulong,” the top cop said.

He issued the warning in the wake of a PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) raid at the Angeles City Police Station 2 in Pampanga last Friday which led in the arrest of the local police chief and six of his men who were accused of illegally arresting and detaining without any charges 15 persons and demanding money in exchange for their liberty.

“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 headed by Brigadier Gen. Warren F. De Leon last Friday, he has ordered aggressive actions including on-the-spot inspection of all police lock-up facilities to prevent similar illegal activities such as those discovered inside the Angeles City Police Station 2.

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.

He likewise directed Major Gen. Emmanuel M. Peralta, the PNP Chief of Directorial Staff to make sure that the Angeles City Police Office director will also be placed under investigation for command responsibility in the aftermath of the PNP-IMEG operation.

“I’m directing the TCDS to make sure that not only the station commander, but we also look at the negligence of the City Director. Hindi ba siya nag-iinspect? Hindi ba siya lumalabas ng opisina niya,?” the PNP chief told newsmen at Camp Crame.

He was referring to Angeles City police director, Colonel Juritz B. Rara.

“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 7 pulis, me 5 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.

Last Friday, PNP-IMEG agents arrested 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 arested 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.
According to 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, the Angeles City Police Office and the PNP Special Action Force, they conducted a surprise inspection of all Persons Under Police Custody or PUPCs at the Angeles City PS 2 on Friday morning.

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 as of Friday.

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 chief 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.