NCRPO sacks 31 cops for ‘stealing’ P75 million

MANILA, Philippines — Thirty-one police officers assigned with the District Special Operations Unit of the Eastern Police District (EPD) were sacked from their posts after an operation that led to the theft of P75 million in cash and valuables on Wednesday.

Eight of the officers – four staff sergeants, two corporals and two patrolmen – who directly took part in the operation were disarmed and placed under restrictive custody.

Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin, National Capital Region Police Office director, said the police officers, including two junior officials, are being investigated for possible criminal and administrative liabilities.

“I have ordered the investigation of the superior officers for command responsibility,” Aberin told reporters in a phone interview.

Initial investigation showed that the officers raided a house in Barangay Almanza Dos in Las Piñas City at 1:42 p.m. on Tuesday to serve a warrant of arrest on a Chinese for violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition.

But it turned out that the Chinese they arrested was not the same person covered by the warrant.

The probe showed the raiders disabling the closed-circuit television cameras at the house. They then opened the vault and scooped up cash and other items.

Based on an investigation report, the police officers allegedly took P75 million in cash and valuables including a necklace, wristwatches, bracelets and gold longevity locks.

They also allegedly took $430,000 in cash, 110,000 Malaysian dollars, a Gucci bag and two cell phones.

According to Aberin, the operation was riddled with flaws from the beginning, noting that no official was present and only non-commissioned officers carried out the raid.

“They went beyond their AOR (area of responsibility) without a proper pre-operations clearance,” Aberin said. Las Piñas is under the Southern Police District.

He said a police captain signed the pre-operation clearance, but noted that this was not forwarded for approval by the deputy director for operations.

“We have to understand that the captain has a boss at the District Special Operations Unit. Up the line, there are other higher-ranking officers,” Aberin explained.

The investigation showed that EPD director Brig. Gen. Villamor Tuliao was not informed about the operation.

Probers said the police officers did not wear body cameras or utilize alternative recording devices to ensure transparency during the operation.

They also found indications that the raiders were after more money as one of them left a cell phone number with the wife of the Chinese they arrested, instructing her to call if she wanted to negotiate for her husband’s release.

Aberin said the police officers did not submit an initial report about the operation to their superiors.

P12 million bribery?

The arrested Chinese was first brought to the EPD, but was taken to the Las Piñas police on Thursday morning to supposedly undergo inquest proceedings for bribery.

The police officers claimed in their defense that the victim’s family offered a P12-million bribe for his release.

But this baffled the Las Piñas police chief as the inquest should have been made the previous day and directly endorsed to his station after the arrest “if there really was bribery.”

Aberin ordered a background investigation on the eight police officers to find out if they have been involved in other illegal activities.

“They have a different objective. This is why I am so angry and ashamed of what they did,” Aberin told reporters.