Eight members of the police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), including an officer with a rank of major, were arrested after they were accused of robbing an establishment believed to e operating an offshore gaming under the guise of legitimate police operations in Angeles City in Pampanga
CIDG director Police Maj. Gen. Albet Ignatius Ferro said the erring CIDSG operatives also demanded P5 million from their victims in exchange for their release and non-filing of cases.
The arrested CISG operatives were identified as Police Maj. Ferdinand Mendoza, Police Staff Sgts. Mark Anthony Reyes Iral and Sanny Ric S Alicante; Police Corporals Richmond Francia, John Gervic Fajardo and Kenneth Rheiner Ferrer Delfin; and Patrolmen Leandro Veloso Mangale and Hermogenes A Rosario Jr. All of them are assigned to the CIDG- Anti-Organized Crime Unit (AOCU) based at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Ferro said the CIDG Regional Field Unit 3 and CIDG Angeles City Field Unit sent their teams in the area after receiving reports of an ongoing robbery at around a a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26, at the Diamond Subdivision in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City.
"Our responding team intercepted three armed men in civilians clothes and later arrested five others inside the van," said Ferro.
He said shots were fired after the suspects tried to shoot the responding CIDG operatives.
Seized inside the van were P300,000, US dollar bills and a cal.45 Infinity pistol.
Based on the initial result of the investigation, the group of Maj. Mendoza stormed the house on Tuesday night and held at least seven Chinese inside. The foreigners were allegedly operating an offshore gaming based in Pampanga.
"When confronted, the suspects identified themselves as CIDG personnel conducting buy-bust operation for firearms. However, a further search inside the house led to the rescue of seven Chinese and a Filipino being held captive by the group," said Ferro.
"The arresting team also found the house in disarray where 12 computer terminals were set-up in the living room similiar to a clandestine POGO operation," he added.
The erring CIDSG cops allegedly held all of them and demanded P5 million. The responding policemen chanced upon the suspects as there were ongoing negotiations for the P5 million demand.
For his part, PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos assured that appropriate criminal and administrative charges will be filed against the arrested CIDG personnel.
"I have instructed the Director of CIDG to dig deeper into the activities the arrested CIDG-AOCU personnel to possibly uncover their involvement in similar previous cases," said Carlos.
"There will be no sacred cows in this investigation which will include their immediate superior officers and others who may have provided support to their activities," he added.