WPD launches hunt for Inspector Chico

The Western Police District yesterday launched a hunt for one of its own, who along with nine other policemen from the National Capital Region Police Office, allegedly tried to bribe Baguio City policemen into releasing one of three suspected drug dealers last Sunday.

According to Chief Inspector Marcelino Pedroso of the WPD General Assignments Section (GAS), WPD director Chief Superintendent Nicolas Pasinos gave Police Inspector Luis Chico of the district’s Crowd Disturbance Management unit to surrender today and answer the charge against him. The WPD-GAS is the unit tasked to investigate alleged crimes and anomalies committed by Manila policemen.

"We will give him the entire day to surrender. If he fails to surrender, we have orders to track him down and arrest him," said Pedroso.

Pedroso said Chico is now in hiding and cannot be located. According to Pedroso, Chico is now facing charges of bribery and misconduct adding that his presence in Baguio City at that time was "questionable."

It was earlier reported that Chico and the nine other police officers allegedly introduced themselves as members of the Western Police District’s drug enforcement unit. They then allegedly tried to bribe Baguio law enforcers to release one of three arrested "drug dealers" who yielded P900,000 worth of shabu in a buy-bust the other day.

Senior Superintendent Orlando Mabutas, Northern Luzon chief of the Narcotics Groups, said the policemen led by Chico allegedly offered P200,000 in exchange for the release of suspect Marcelo de Juating Jr. who, claimed, was their "asset."

Chico’s team claimed that they needed De Juating’s services in a big drug operation, Mabutas said.

De Juating, 34, along with Poncelio Cruz, 40, and Rafael Lumba, 34, was arrested during a buy-bust conducted by members of the 14th Narcotics Group at Shangri-la Village here Saturday afternoon.

The operation netted 450 grams of shabu valued at P900,000. Mabutas said they would file criminal and administrative charges against the police officers.

As these developed, an irate Manila Mayor Lito Atienza lashed at the WPD, saying Chico’s actions could have been prevented had the city police been under his direct supervision.

"This is an indication of how discipline in the ranks of the country’s police force has deteriorated and underscores the need for the return of police control and supervision to the mayors," Atienza said.

"These cops would not have dared pull a stunt like this if they were directly under the control of the city government because they know they would not get away with it," Atienza added.

Meanwhile, sources at the WPD said Chico and the other policemen belong to the so-called "Ninja Group" which is allegedly involved in several "questionable" activities. – Mike Frialde and Artemio Dumlao