Police chief vows to dismiss ‘salvage’ cops

Mandaluyong City police chief Superintendent Ericson Velasquez vowed yesterday to work for the dismissal of three policemen tagged in the killing of a teenager, whose body was recovered last July 23 in Taytay, Rizal.

Velasquez said Inspector Amor Cerillo, PO1 Francis Castillo and PO1 Jocelyn Samson have no right to stay a minute longer in police service if found guilty of "salvaging" 19-year-old Jonathan Diasanta, a supected snatcher.

"I am now gathering evidence against them prior to the submission of a recommendation for the filing of administrative charges, the penalty of which is dismissal from police service," Velasquez said.

Apart from the kidnapping with murder charges, which he filed against the suspects, Velasquez said he is also preparing grave misconduct charges against Cerillo, Castillo and Samson.

The police chief said he submitted a report of the incident to Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD). "Gen. Valenzuela is apprised fully of all actions I’m taking against the three erring cops," said Velasquez, noting the EPD director is behind his move to have the suspects dismissed.

According to Velasquez, the three policemen would still be accorded their right to defend themselves.

"I’m still very willing to hear their side," he said.

Castillo is assigned at the office of Velasquez’s deputy for administration, Superintendent Antonio Aguilar, while Samson is assigned at the police women’s desk and Cerilio at EPD headquarters.

Velasquez declared them absent without leave (AWOL).

It was Castillo who arrested Diasanta at EDSA Crossing in a snatching incident last July 22.

The police blotter showed that Diasanta was released the following day, but an errand girl claimed she saw Cerillo and company inside a mobile car with the victim last July 23. It was the last time Diasanta was seen alive.

That same day, Diasanta’s body was found at a dimly-lit portion of Barangay San Juan in Taytay town. He was shot in the head.

Diasanta’s mother, Teresa, a streetsweeper, claimed Castillo sent an emissary to her demanding P1,500 in exchange for her son’s release.