Two operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) were arrested after they allegedly tried to intervene in the arrest of a police sergeant who was arrested on Monday night, Jan. 16, in a buy-bust operation in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said he had already ordered the filing of both criminal and administrative charges against the two CIDG operatives identified as Police Staff. Sgts. Raymund Portes and Jerry Saratobias Jr.
Citing a report from his men from the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit, Estomo said the two cops tried to intervene allegedly to spare Police Staff Sgt. Ed Dyson Banaag.
Banaag, assigned to the Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) office at Camp Crame in Quezon City, was collared in a buy-bust wherein he allegedly yielded some 25 grams of shabu worth P170,000.
"They were found to be former colleagues of Police Staff Sgt. Banaag in CIDG in Camp Crame. They were arrested for obstruction of justice," said Estomo.
"We will carry on to get rid of these drug personalities, especially if they are from the police service. We will never allow those bad eggs to tarnish our badges and the PNP organization. This also serves as a warning to our personnel that we will never tolerate illegal acts or wrongdoings committed by anyone within our ranks," he added.