The chief of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) custodial unit has been removed from his post and charged with a criminal case after allegedly sexually assaulting former Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog.
Police Lt. Col. Jigger Noceda, chief of the PNP Custodial Service Unit, was placed under the restrictive custody of the PNP Headquarters Support Service (HSS) pending the result of an investigation against him, said Police Col. Ysmael Yu, PNP spokesman.
"We will wait for the result of the investigation (on the) PNP custodial incident. There are already columns released regarding this (but) the PNP will stand its ground to have a clearer view through (an) investigation which is now in process by the WCPC (Women and Children Protection Center WCPC)," Yu said.
"The Chief PNP (General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan) strongly stressed that this act is not a virtue of a police being responsible, respected, and disciplined. It will be dealt with accordingly," he added.
The PNP Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) charged Noceda for attempted rape, acts of lasciviousness, unjust vexation, and a violation of Republic Act No. 11313, the Safe Spaces Act of 2019, before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office last October 7 following a complaint by Parojinog.
The filing of charges by the WCPC was confirmed by Yu to reporters.
"(The) case is now filed with the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office. Police Lt. Col. Jigger Noceda is on restrictive custody of (the) director, HSS. This is a basic rule under PNP policy," Yu said.
Parojinog, in her testimony, accused Noceda of pinning her against the wall and kissing her when she was called into the police officer's office on June 9, 2020, which was the first incident.
Prior to this, Parojinog allegedly wrote a letter to Noceda asking him when visits would be allowed after the easing of community quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic. This is why the police officer summoned her into his office.
The second incident allegedly occurred on September 7, 2020 when Parojinog sought an audience with Noceda to ask for updates on her drug-related charges.
Parojinog was again summoned by Noceda into his office and after they spoke, the police officer allegedly pinned her on the wall and touched her private parts.
Parojinog claimed that Noceda asked her if she could still be impregnated but the detainee managed to pull away when she told him that someone saw what he was doing.
After the incidents, Parojinog allegedly wrote to the PNP leadership which resulted in an investigation and the eventual sacking of Noceda.
Parojinog has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City since the bloody anti-illegal drug raid in her family's compound in Ozamiz City on July 30, 2017 which killed her father, the late Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, her mother, and 13 others.