WPD anti-drug chief cries foul
July 11, 2004 | 12:00am
Western Police District (WPD)’s District Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Group (DAID-SOG) chief Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr. denied yesterday that he had been sacked by chief drug buster Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay for the alleged P600,000 extortion on a Fil-Chinese couple in Binondo, Manila last Monday.
Citing verifications made from Camp Crame and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) officials, Pedrozo said that contrary to published reports, there was no order as of yesterday for his relief.
Pedrozo, one of the 10 outstanding Manila policemen of 2003, said that he was assured by Senior Superintendent Charles Calima and Superintendent John Sosito, both trusted lieutenants of Aglipay, that the chief drug buster had never issued any order for his relief.
According to Pedrozo, though he is not questioning the authority of Aglipay to relieve him on the spot, it is a standard police procedure to inform first his immediate superior, WPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong, of his relief if there is indeed an order from the higherups. The office of the WPD chief also denied receiving any relief order for Pedrozo coming from Aglipay.
Pedrozo also denied receiving a memorandum from NCRPO chief Director Ricardo de Leon tasking him to explain within 24 hours his men’s involvement in the alleged abduction with ransom of a Fil-Chinese couple. Pedrozo said it was only in the newspapers that he read of De Leon’s memorandum.
Pedrozo believes there is now a demolition job being hatched against him by a well-financed group which he had earlier encountered in one of the anti-drug operations of his unit.
"I was informed that this group will even use the media to demolish me and my unit," Pedrozo said. He also confirmed reports that his unit had been refrained by Bulaong from conducting operations while the entire unit is under investigation for alleged involvement in hulidap operations.
"I am open and willing to be investigated together with my men. However, I want to make it clear that there is no direct evidence yet that my men were involved in the abduction of the Fil-Chinese couple. It was only the media which accuse us of involvement in that alleged abduction, " Pedrozo said.
He clarified that what is being investigated now is the involvement of two of his men in the abduction of two women-drug suspects in Quiapo, Manila, which coincidentally happened also on Monday night, the same time the Fil-Chinese couple were allegedly abducted.
Bulaong is personally handling the investigation to determine the culpability of Pedroso and his men in the reported rampant extortion cases of the WPD’s anti-drug unit.
At the same time, Bulaong reiterated his appeal on the Fil-Chinese couple to personally see him to identify through police gallery the policemen involved in the said hulidap operations. Bulaong also assured the security of the couple in case they directly report to him.
As this developed, former Homicide Section commander Chief Inspector Alex Yanquiling is reassigned at the WPD’s Task Force Galugad, the Manila police unit tasked to go after wanted and notorious criminals.
Citing verifications made from Camp Crame and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) officials, Pedrozo said that contrary to published reports, there was no order as of yesterday for his relief.
Pedrozo, one of the 10 outstanding Manila policemen of 2003, said that he was assured by Senior Superintendent Charles Calima and Superintendent John Sosito, both trusted lieutenants of Aglipay, that the chief drug buster had never issued any order for his relief.
According to Pedrozo, though he is not questioning the authority of Aglipay to relieve him on the spot, it is a standard police procedure to inform first his immediate superior, WPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong, of his relief if there is indeed an order from the higherups. The office of the WPD chief also denied receiving any relief order for Pedrozo coming from Aglipay.
Pedrozo also denied receiving a memorandum from NCRPO chief Director Ricardo de Leon tasking him to explain within 24 hours his men’s involvement in the alleged abduction with ransom of a Fil-Chinese couple. Pedrozo said it was only in the newspapers that he read of De Leon’s memorandum.
Pedrozo believes there is now a demolition job being hatched against him by a well-financed group which he had earlier encountered in one of the anti-drug operations of his unit.
"I was informed that this group will even use the media to demolish me and my unit," Pedrozo said. He also confirmed reports that his unit had been refrained by Bulaong from conducting operations while the entire unit is under investigation for alleged involvement in hulidap operations.
"I am open and willing to be investigated together with my men. However, I want to make it clear that there is no direct evidence yet that my men were involved in the abduction of the Fil-Chinese couple. It was only the media which accuse us of involvement in that alleged abduction, " Pedrozo said.
He clarified that what is being investigated now is the involvement of two of his men in the abduction of two women-drug suspects in Quiapo, Manila, which coincidentally happened also on Monday night, the same time the Fil-Chinese couple were allegedly abducted.
Bulaong is personally handling the investigation to determine the culpability of Pedroso and his men in the reported rampant extortion cases of the WPD’s anti-drug unit.
At the same time, Bulaong reiterated his appeal on the Fil-Chinese couple to personally see him to identify through police gallery the policemen involved in the said hulidap operations. Bulaong also assured the security of the couple in case they directly report to him.
As this developed, former Homicide Section commander Chief Inspector Alex Yanquiling is reassigned at the WPD’s Task Force Galugad, the Manila police unit tasked to go after wanted and notorious criminals.
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