TEN policemen involved in bribery, illegal arrest, and rape were charged yesterday by the National Police Commission (Napolcom), including a colonel accused of accepting a P7-million bribe from a motorist.
The colonel was identified as Col. Rommel Estolano, former chief of the Special Operations Group of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG). His case stemmed from an operation in Paranaque City in June when HPG operatives flagged down one JJ Javier for traffic offenses. The operatives later found a 9 mm pistol inside the vehicle.
Estolano, based on the complaint filed by his own men, allegedly accepted a P7 million bribe from the suspect for preferential treatment and subsequent dropping of the charges.
Meanwhile, seven Caloocan City policemen were charged for the illegal arrest of Jayson dela Rosa, a father of a 20-year-old altar server who was accused by the policemen of illegal gambling last July.
Investigation, however, showed the suspect was initially caught at a convenience store for shoplifting. The policemen still detained him even after the store decided not to press charges.
Dela Rosa’s arrest was kept secret from his family for a few days. His son, Dion Angelo, waded through flood waters searching for his father and later learned about the arrest.
Dion Angelo contracted leptospirosis and later died.
Also charged were two Marikina City policemen who were accused of raping a policewoman, also assigned with the Marikina police station, last month. Reports said the suspects invited the female officer for coffee. They boarded a patrol car but instead of going to a coffee shop, the suspects parked the vehicle at a jogging lane in the city where they reportedly raped the victim.
Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan said the 10 policemen are facing administrative charges, including grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
Calinisan said Napolcom’s Inspection, Monitoring and Investigation Service (IMIS) which conducted the initial investigation, established probable cause to try the 10 policemen.
IMIS, headed by Edmon Pares, filed the charges against the policemen before the Napolcom’s Legal Affairs Service yesterday.
