Cop caught sniffing cocaine in Taguig City faces ax

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila policeman who was arrested for allegedly sniffing cocaine in a bar in Taguig City on Wednesday will be dismissed from the police service, an official said yesterday.

Police Officer 1 Redentor Bautista is undergoing pre-charge investigation for grave misconduct, according to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar.

Bautista is also facing charges of possession of illegal drugs and paraphernalia.

“Definitely, we would dismiss him from the police service. We don’t need policemen like him in the NCRPO,”Eleazar said in an interview.

The NCRPO chief scolded Bautista during their confrontation on Thursday in the office of Senior Superintendent Eliseo Cruz, director of the Southern Police District.

Bautista claimed that it was his first time to sniff cocaine, which was handed to him by an acquaintance.

He is the brother-in-law of convicted drug trafficker, Jayvee Sebastian, who is serving time at the New Bilibid Prison and one of the government’s witnesses against detained Sen. Leila de Lima.

Bautista was nabbed after he was caught using cocaine at the Palace Club located at the corner of 9th Avenue and 38th streets at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.