10 cops axed for robbery

MANILA, Philippines - Ten Caloocan City police officers were removed from their posts yesterday for allegedly robbing a family while looking for a “drug suspect” in their home on Dec. 5.

Acting on the complaint of Emilia Calanday, Senior Superintendent Roberto Fajardo, Northern Police District (NPD) director, also ordered Caloocan police chief Senior Superintendent Johnson Almazan to disarm the policemen.

Superintendent Ferdie del Rosario, assistant city police chief for administration, identified the lawmen as Senior Police Officers 2 Noli Albis and Remigio Valderama; Police Officers 2 Jay Jano, Benedict Antaran and John Francis Taganas; and Police Officers 1 John Ray dela Cruz, Carlomar Donato, Alexander Buhayo, Rodie Germina and Luther de Gracia.

Calanday reported that unidentified armed men barged into her house in Barrio Sto. Niño, Barangay 187 at past 2 p.m. on Monday, ransacked their belongings then fled in a Toyota Innova (JBU-434).

The policemen were allegedly looking for a certain “Lando” but were not able to present any search warrant.

 “They took the wristwatch and necklace of my son. They took everything, including a newly bought dishwashing machine and the shoes of my grandchild... Is this the kind of policemen that we have? Instead of helping the people, they are the ones who are stealing from us,” Calanday said in an interview.

A nearby closed-circuit television camera caught on video the lawmen arriving at the house and loading the family’s possessions into the Innova.  

A resident of the area condemned the act saying, “these kinds of actions by the very same people who have sworn to protect us leave a bad taste in the mouth.”

Fajardo ordered North Extension supervisor Superintendent Reydante Ariza to conduct an in-depth investigation that would be the basis for the formal filing of criminal and administrative charges.