THE National Police Commission yesterday dismissed from the service four members of the Pateros police drug enforcement unit for extorting money from a suspected drug pusher. Sacked were SPO2 Arthur Velasco and PO1s Vinboy Pacamarra, Efren Patchicoy and Antonio Zinampan. Napolcom chairman and Interior Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno said the Commission's Regional Appellate Board First Division affirmed the decision of the People's Law Enforcement Board of Pateros dismissing the four lawmen for serious irregularity in the performance of duty, dishonesty and violation of the law. [continues 109 words]
THE head of the Western Police District's anti-drug unit has been sacked due to numerous complaints of extortion against him and his men. Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay said Supt. Marcelino Pedroro, Jr. should be relieved while the extortion complaint is being investigated. Pedroso and his men were accused of trying to extort P600,000 from a Chinese storeowner in Binondo, Manila. The businessman was told that drug charges will be filed against him if he did not pay up. [continues 271 words]
THE chief of the Pasig City police has found himself in trouble after one of his men was caught sniffing shabu inside a police precinct by a hidden camera recently. An investigation was ordered by Eastern Police District director Chief Supt. Oscar Valenzuela to determine the culpability of Senior Supt. Ernesto Catungal for command responsibility. Earlier, Police Officer 1 Samuel Quiteves was caught on camera while sniffing shabu inside the Police Community Precinct 6. Valenzuela has ordered the relief of Quiteves' immediate superior, SPO4 Rufino Dancel. The incident prompted Valenzuela to order the drug testing of some 1,450 EPD policemen. [end]
TWO members of the Central Police District have been charged before the prosecutor's office for negligence of duty that led to the escape of a drug suspect detained at the La Loma Police Station in Quezon City. National Capital Region Police Office director Ricardo de Leon said the filing of administrative and criminal charges against SPO4 Edgardo Reburiano and PO2 Romeo DL Paday should serve as a stern warning as he reiterated the NCRPO's commitment to eradicate "bad eggs" in the police force. [continues 106 words]
HEADS are expected to roll at the Eastern Police District as EPD director Chief Supt. Oscar Valenzuela ordered all policemen under his command to undergo mandatory drug testing. The EPD chief issued the directive after a rookie policeman assigned at the Police Community Precinct in Barangay Palatiw, Pasig City was caught sniffing shabu inside the police station last June 18. He identified the errant lawman as Police Officer 1 Samuel Quiteves. Investigation showed that Quiteves was caught by a hidden camera in the act of extorting money from arrested drug suspects. Worse, the police officer took out a tooter, lighter and a foil inside his drawer and started sniffing shabu. [continues 59 words]
A Pasig City judge yesterday sentenced four Chinese to life imprisonment after they were proven guilty of illegal drug charges. Judge Leoncio Janolo of Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 264 also ordered accused Chua Chi Li, Huang Hong We, Joey Lu and Xingfu Wang to pay P1 million each. Janolo said the foreigners violated the Dangerous Drugs Law after six kilos of shabu in liquid form, drug equipment, precursors and essential chemicals used in making shabu were seized from their possession. [continues 68 words]
