Cops vs cops in drug war probe

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez yesterday ordered the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to investigate the arrest by Bulacan policemen of two “assets” of Metro Manila-based policemen and the seizure of P50 million worth of shabu during an anti-illegal drug operation in Baliwag.

The incident also involved 12 operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) who reportedly conducted an entrapment operation at a resort in San Rafael, Bulacan last June 21.

The NCRPO officers allegedly interfered in the seizure of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) by Baliwag policemen at a checkpoint along Doña Remedios Trinidad highway in Barangay Tarcan.

During the operation, the Baliwag policemen set up a checkpoint after a request from the Central Luzon regional police office and intercepted a car that had been placed under surveillance.

The Baliwag policemen, led by Supt. Froilan Uy, arrested the car’s two passengers for possessing 10 kilos of shabu worth P50 million.

But the Baliwag policemen were surprised when 12 men on board several vehicles arrived and introduced themselves as members of the NCRPO and claimed that the two arrested suspects were their civilian agents.

Advised about the discrepancy, Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr., Bulacan police director, invited the 12 NCRPO operatives for questioning.

But Caramat said he had to release the NCRPO team and the two civilians who promised to return if further investigation was warranted.

Marquez said he was surprised when officials of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) planned to file charges against the NCRPO operatives despite a meeting two days ago between the concerned police officials from Metro Manila and Central Luzon.

Chief Supt. Benjamin Hulipas, PRO-3 deputy regional director for administration, told The STAR that the Baliwag police will file today charges of violating Republic Act 9165 or transporting of illegal drugs against personnel of the NCRPO.

He said he ordered the IAS to investigate what really happened.

Marquez said the concerned NCRPO police officers would also be investigated for possible administrative violations.

Marquez added that all the policemen from Baliwag and the NCRPO that were involved in the incident would be grounded during the course of the probe.

Marquez added that the possibility that the two groups of police officers were “set up” by drug lords would also be part of the probe to be done by the IAS.

NCRPO spokesperson Insp. Kimberly Molitas insisted yesterday that the operation in Bulacan was legitimate and they vowed to cooperate fully in the investigation.

She said the NCRPO leadership welcomes Marquez’s directive for IAS to conduct the probe on the controversy involving NCRPO personnel who yielded 10 kilos of shabu at a police checkpoint in Bulacan.

“We will submit before the IAS all our supporting evidence like coordination and pre-ops to support our contention that the operation is a legitimate one,” said Molitas in an interview. “We are not hiding anything. Let the truth prevail.”

Molitas said the NCRPO would cooperate fully not only in the IAS investigation of the incident as ordered by Marquez but also the probe being initiated by the PRO-3.

Initial reports showed that elements of the NCRPO regional anti-illegal drugs (RAID) conducted a buy-bust operation along 8 Waves resort in Bulacan and were on their way to a follow-up operation when Baliwag policemen intercepted their vehicle at a police checkpoint.

Chief Insp. Robert Razon, RAID chief, said a police team headed by Inspector Johnny Garcia rushed to Bulacan to conduct buy-bust operation after an informant, a certain Mike, received a text message that his order of 10 kilos of shabu would be handed over to him at a fast-food restaurant in Bulacan last June 21.

Garcia clarified that his men proceeded to the location, while Police Officer 2 Benjamin Nepuscua submitted the pre-operation and coordination report with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to the Operations Division of the PRO-3, Pampanga provincial office and the Pulilan and Baliwag police stations.

More drug pushers killed

Another suspected drug pusher was gunned down after he fired his gun at policemen conducting a raid at the Fishport Area in Navotas City.

Senior Supt. Dante Novicio, Navotas police chief, said 10 other suspects were arrested while 30 others were taken into custody for questioning.

Novicio said the slain suspect, John Erwin David, fired at the policemen who were conducting search operation in Market 3, Fishport Area, North Bay Boulevard.

David had a pending warrant of arrest for a drug-related case and was one of the targets of the raiding team.

The operatives recovered five sachets of suspected shabu and two firearms, a caliber .22 revolver and a caliber .9 mm and several bullets.

Last year, a policeman was killed while three others were wounded when suspected drug pushers and robbers ambushed Navotas lawmen at the Fish Market.

Novicio said the police had changed their strategy and deployed 70 local policemen and 30 members of the police Maritime Group to search the area.

In Batangas City, police killed yesterday another suspected drug pusher after a shootout. Three other suspects were arrested.

Suspect Donald Medina engaged the police officer who was part of the raiding team serving arrest warrants against the alleged pushers in Barangay San Jose Sico, Batangas City.

Batangas City police chief Supt. Danilo Mendoza identified Medina’s arrested companions as Gonzales Balmes, Ariel Teves and Froilan Santos, all suspected drug pushers.

The policemen recovered three unlicensed guns and several plastic sachet sof shabu and drug paraphernalia from the suspects. With Non Alquitran, Marvin Sy, Rey Galupo, Ed Amoroso, Raymund Catindig, Manny Galvez, Jennifer Rendon, Roel Pareño, Ric Sapnu, Romina Cabrera