Tacloban cop arrested for robbery, intimidation

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) had filed charges against Police Officer 3 Marianito Tondo Jr., a day after he was arrested for alleged robbery with intimidation at Rufrance Gas Corporation at Barangay 96 Calanipawan in this city last Monday.

Senior Superintendent Rolando Bade, director of TCPO, said that after submitting evidences to the case, they will just wait for the decision from the City Prosecutor’s Office on the charges filed, and assured the public that there will be no whitewash in the investigation against a fellow policeman.

"The good news here is that the filing of charges is part of the continuing cleansing of the police organization. “No one is above the law, at tingnan natin if he can post bail. Besides we are also processing the filing of administrative charges against Tondo,” Bade said.

A staff and another helper of Rufrance Gas, besides a CCTV footage in the area, Tondo was positively identified as the one who “robbed” the establishment with P3,000. The money was recovered from him, upon his arrest at the Police Public Safety College in San Jose district of Tacloban, where he was attending a class.

Before his arrest, Tondo was detailed as a member of the TCPO patrol team. He was recently transferred to the Police Regional Office-8 headquarters because he was set to undergo a senior officer’s training course, in preparation for his promotion to senior police officer 1.

When asked by the media about the charges, Tondo, while locked up inside the TCPO detention cell, refused to answer but said his case is already at the prosecution and will give his answers in that venue.

Chief Superintendent Mariel Maniego Magaway, director of the Police Regional Office-8, has yet to issue a statement regarding the charges against Tondo.