THE director of the Pampanga provincial police has been relieved from his post after 10 of his men reportedly robbed 10 individuals caught engaged in illegal cockfighting.
PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said Col. Robin Sarmiento was relieved for command responsibility and replaced by Col. Jonas Amparo.
“Under the doctrine of command responsibility, all field commanders (of the PNP) are responsible for the actions of their men,” Fajardo told a press briefing at Camp Crame.
“Since 10 policemen (under Sarmiento) were involved in the alleged robbery in Pampanga, this led to the administrative relief of the provincial director of Pampanga,” said Fajardo.
She said the chief of the intelligence unit of the Pampanga provincial police was also relieved from his post.
The 10 cops were charged with robbery before the Pampanga prosecutors office last March 24. They are Master Sergeant Rommeo Nool; Corporals Resty Delima, Jayarr Macaraeg, Alvin Pastorin, and Norman Lazaga; and Patrolmen Jhusua Fernandez, Bryan Steve Pasquin, Bjay Sales, Jayson Martinez, and Jeff Van Cruz.
Reports said the policemen swooped down last March 19 at the compound of one of the victims, Alberto Gopez, in Barangay Duat in Bacolor where a “tupada” of illegal cockfighting was being held.
The policemen reportedly accosted Gopez and nine others — Allan Gopez, Angelito Pabalan, Ricardo Canlas, Rodolfo Canlas, Efren Canlas, Jose de Leon, Romeo Garcia, Jesus David, and Mario Sicat.
The lawmen later released the 10 victims after taking their cash, amounting to P379,700, other valuables, and later fled aboard their vehicles.
The policemen were relieved from the provincial police intelligence unit and re re-assigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit of the Central Luzon regional police office in Pampanga pending the resolution of the charges against them.
“They were disarmed, pending investigation. They are going to face administrative case aside from the criminal case that was filed against them before the Prosecutors office,” said Fajardo.
Faardo said the PNP Internal Affairs Service was tasked “to determine the extent of the administrative liability with respect to the questionable police operation they conducted against the complainants.”
