THE PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) has recommended the dismissal of eight policemen, including a major, who were allegedly involved in a robbery in Angeles City last January.
Internal Affairs Service Inspector General Alfegard Triambulo yesterday said he has submitted his recommendation to the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management last April 4.
“I’ve recommended their dismissal,” Triambulo said, referring to Maj. Ferdinand Mendoza, Staff Sergeants Mark Anthony Reyes Iral and Sanny Ric Alicante; Corporals Richmond Francia, John Gervic Fajardo and Kenneth Rheiner Ferrer Delfin, and Patrolmen Leonardo Veloso Mangales and Hermogines Rosario Jr.
The eight, last assigned with the Anti-Organized Crime Unit of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, were nabbed by their fellow CIDG operatives last January 26 in a subdivision in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City after they reportedly took P300,000 in cash, dollars, and jewelry from seven Chinese and their Filipino helper.
The eight have been charged for robbery. The PNP has conducted administrative investigation, on top of the criminal case that was filed by police probers against them.
A police report said operatives of the CIDG’s Angeles City Field Unit and CIDG Regional Field Unit 3 swopped down at a house in a subdivision in Barangay Balibago at around 1 a.m. on January 26 after receiving information about a robbery being conducted by a group of men who introduced themselves as CIDG personnel.
The responding policemen accosted three of the suspects, all armed with handguns, as they exited the gate of the house. The report said the three men “acted in tactical manner by raising their firearms against the responding policemen” but were later subdued, along with the other suspects.
“Their intention really is robbery because responding Central Luzon police operatives fund cell phones, jewelry and cash (they reportedly stole) inside their Starex van,” Triambulo said.
“Their defense was they were on a buy-bust operation for firearms, but they could not show any papers (to support the supposed operation),” Triambulo said, adding the suspects did not coordinate the supposed operation with the local police.
“That was just an alibi and it’s corpus delicti. The items they stole were inside their van,” said Triambulo.
