ON the night of July 11, a group of armed men swooped down on Barangay 525 in Sampaloc, Manila, specifically the Matimyas St. area in Balic-Balic, with their unmarked car and several motorcycles, presumably to conduct a massive “zona-style” raid in the neighborhood.
As it turned out, thanks to the barangay’s CCTV cameras, the men were members of the Manila Police District’s District Police Intelligence Operations Unit (DPIOU) who were fishing for any resident who looked like somebody they could fleece. The cops found a victim in the person of Herminigildo dela Cruz, 73, owner of a computer rental shop.
Dela Cruz said the five armed men suddenly entered the premises, identified themselves as policemen, and accused him of running an illegal gambling den. They then cleaned out his drawer of P44,000 and demanded a weekly protection money of P4,000.
The five did not show identification or a search warrant, and were in civilian clothes. The MPD confirmed that the five — Staff Sergeants Jan Erwin Isaac and Ryann Paculan, Cpl. Jonmark Dabucol, and Patrolmen Jhon Lester Pagar and Jeremiah Pascual — were members of the MPD intelligence unit. The MPD and Camp Crame operatives are also investigating a certain “Menay” who allegedly acted as accomplice. As of July 16, the suspects’ colleagues are looking for them on orders of PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr.
‘What is really concerning is that these hoodlums in uniform struck in the heart of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, and very easily made off with the stolen money.’
General Acorda said he was saddened (and perhaps embarrassed) by what happened as he stressed the PNP leadership “does not condone this kind of act and we will be running after them.” He urged the five cops to just surrender. The MDP, meanwhile, relieved the entire 50-man intelligence operations unit of the district, even as administrative and criminal cases are being processed for filing against the five cops.
It is sad that other members of the unit are bound to be punished for the adventurism, greed for money and power, and sheer stupidity of their colleagues, but such is the way the PNP is run. Stupidity because imagine these cops, just starting their lifetime careers, and now have become fugitives just for a measly P44,000 loot.
When policemen are involved in crimes like extortion and drugs trade, the act becomes even more sinister because their salaries, allowances, guns, bullets, vehicles and fuel and uniforms are paid by the people through their taxes. In return, policemen are mandated to defend the citizen-taxpayers against criminals and keep the peace in the community. Former President Rodrigo Duterte even increased their salaries nationwide, and successive Manila mayors in the last 10 years have been giving Manila cops generous allowances and perks on top of what they receive from the national government.
What is really concerning is that these hoodlums in uniform struck in the heart of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, and very easily made off with the stolen money. If this can happen in a populous district in the city, we can just imagine what the rogue cops can do in isolated and far-flung villages in the provinces.
The authorities should do their level best to bring these five policemen-robbers to justice because the longer they are in hiding, the more problems they can create for their victims, specifically Mr. Dela Cruz who mustered the courage to file a complaint against them at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.
It was not announced if General Acorda or MPD chief Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon has provided security for Dela Cruz and his family, including their computer shop, but this should be the first order of business in finding closure to this case.
