The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has filed a string of criminal charges against the policemen who allegedly robbed a Chinese businessman inside his house in Las Piñas City under the guise of a legitimate police operation.
NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Anthony A. Aberin said all the eight policemen assigned to the Eastern Police District-District Special Operations Unit EPD-DSOU) were already subjected to inquest proceedings for the case of robbery, serious illegal detention and unlawful arrest.
He said the criminal charges are on top of the administrative cases that would be slapped against them, the maximum penalty is dismissal from the service.
While only eight DSOU members were directly involved in the operation, Aberin sacked a total of 31 policemen, including the entire members of the EPD-DSOU, as part of the investigation.
“I also ordered the relief of the District Director (EDP) to pave the way for an impartial investigation, to determine if there are lapses on his part in relation to this incident,” said Aberin in an interview over dzBB.
Based on the initial investigation, the policemen raided the house of the Chinese businessman in an exclusive subdivision in Barangay Almanza Dos in Las Piñas City on Wednesday, April 2.
The operation was supposed to be an implementation of an arrest warrant, and during the supposed operation, the policemen alleged robbed the house of the businessman.
“They took the vault to get those items and were under pressure because it was done at gunpoint and there were threats that they would hurt him if he would not open the vault. He is fearing for his life that’s why he was forced to open the vault,” said Aberin.
The policemen allegedly took at least P85 million in cash and valuable items.
Anomalies
In the conduct of the investigation, Aberin noted some glaring discrepancies that are considered as violation of the police operational procedures.
First, he said the group of policemen did not coordinate with the Southern Police District which has a direct peace and order supervision and control over Las Piñas City. The areas under the EPD are Marikina, Pasig, San Juan and Mandaluyong City.
Second, the operating unit was not headed by an officer but a non-commissioned officer.
Third, the operating unit did not use either a body-worn camera or alternative recording device during the conduct of the operation.
And fourth, the Chinese businessman does not fit the picture and even the description of the person in the arrest warrant.
“Based on the initial result of the investigation, I am convinced that they have a different purpose in going to the house of the Chinese businessman,” said Aberin.
Further investigation also revealed that the pre-operation clearance was only signed by a police captain, which should not have been the case since it should have been cleared by a more ranking officer from the District police office.
Alibi
Aside from cash in different denominations and currencies, the Chinese businessmen said the policemen also took valuables that include jewelry and expensive watches.
During the inventory, P12 million cash was recovered and the operating unit said it will use the money as a piece of evidence as the victim tried to bribe them.
Aberin, however, said that he is not convinced.
The fact that the policemen cut the CCTV in the house only revealed a bad intention of the operation, according to Aberin.
“They should have adhered to the police operational procedure if their intention is clean. What they did is marred with so many violations,” said Aberin.