The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) is set to file charges against eight of its men who were arrested while allegedly robbing seven Chinese nationals and a Filipina in Angeles City on Wednesday.
CIDG director Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro identified the suspects as 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 Hermogenes Rosario Jr., all assigned with the CIDG’s Anti-Organized Crime Unit (AOCU).
He said the suspects face charges of robbery in band, extortion, and illegal detention, on top of the administrative charges being readied against them.
Ferro said the CIDG will not condone the wrongdoing of its personnel, adding, however, that the cops involvement in such crime is an “isolated case.”
“(The CIDG) will not tolerate misdeeds of its uniformed personnel. This is a semblance of what we call ICU — inept, corrupt and undisciplined police personnel. We cannot allow this incident to tarnish the good performance, credibility established by the CIDG,” Ferro told a press conference Wednesday in Camp Crame.
In a report reaching Camp Crame, the CIDG regional field unit (RFU) 3 conducted an operation after receiving a report around 1 a.m. Wednesday about an ongoing robbery in a residential area at the Diamond Subdivision in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, perpetrated by a group of armed men in civilian clothes who identified themselves as CIDG personnel.
Upon the arrival of the responding cops in the area, they cornered the suspects who claimed they were conducting a buy-bust operation.
“In the course of investigation, it was later found out that the suspects held the seven male Chinese nationals and one Filipino house servant inside the said house. It was also observed that all the things inside the said premise were in disarray. Twelve computers that are set up similar to POGO operation was noticed at the living room,” the RFU report read.
“The team leader claimed that they were conducting buy-bust operation of firearms in the said place. However, it was later found to be untrue. When their vehicles were checked, assorted belongings of the Chinese were found there including cash amounting to about P300,000 and US dollar bills,” it added.
The 12 computers were found set up, like those in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, inside the house. “During the inquiry, it was later learned that the suspects were members of the PNP CIDG assigned at the AOCU,” it said.
The suspects are temporarily held at the CIDG Angeles Criminal Field Unit pending the filing of administrative and criminal charges against them.
Ferro assured the public that the CIDG is one with PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos “in taking necessary legal action to stop the wrongdoing of anybody inside the organization.”
“They will face the full weight of the PNP disciplinary machinery. Administrative and criminal cases will be filed against them. They will be disciplined, and we will charge them administratively and criminally,” he stressed.
For his part, Carlos said he will make sure that the involved cops will be dismissed, adding illegal activities and acts of any police officers will not be condoned.
“This is one thing we will never allow. You are not contributing to the mandate and the function of the organization. We have reminded you not to get involved in the illegal activities and yet you are doing it,” Carlos told the culprits.