4 Pateros cops sacked for planting evidence

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) ordered yesterday the dismissal of four Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) officers in Pateros after they were found guilty of planting evidence, extortion and other offenses.

Dismissed from the police service for allegedly making money out of anti-illegal drug operations were Senior Police Officer 2 Arthur Velasco, PO1 Vinboy Pacamarra and PO1 Efren Patchicoy.

All four were found guilty of extortion, planting of evidence, serious irregularities in the performance of duty and dishonesty some three years after they victimized two Sta. Ana, Pateros residents.

Napolcom chief and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said the Regional Appellate Board’s First Division affirmed an earlier decision of the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB), which found Velasco’s group guilty of extorting money from one Maria Analiza Encinar.

Records showed that on the evening of Aug. 5, 2003, Velasco and his team searched without a warrant the house of Ursula Gonzales, mother of suspected drug pusher Dennis Gonzales in Sta. Ana.

They then proceeded to Encinar’s house, the alleged pusher’s live-in partner, but the target wasn’t there either.

Velasco’s group came back after a few minutes and showed Encinar a sachet of shabu, which was allegedly bought from her by their asset for P100.

The team searched her house and thereafter invited her to the Pateros police station, where they demanded P50,000, which was later reduced to P30,000, in exchange for the non-filing of charges.

Encinar’s relatives were only able to produce P3,000 so Velasco ordered her placed behind bars for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Law.

Encinar later filed charges before the PLEB, which eventually ruled in her favor.

Velasco and his men questioned the decision, claiming errors of law were committed during the investigation prejudicial to their substantial rights and interest.

But Napolcom, in reviewing the decision, found that the PLEB decision was supported by enough evidence.

The RAB also concurred with the PLEB’s findings that there was neither a buy-bust operation conducted nor was there a confiscation of drugs and marked money, contrary to the respondents’ claim that they found two plastic sachets of shabu on top of Encinar’s TV set when they searched her house.

Velasco was also ordered dismissed from the service by the RAB’s Third Division for planting evidence and marked money and for demanding P100,000 in exchange for the lowering of the criminal charge against one Diana de la Peña, also of Sta. Ana.The three others were slapped with suspensions.

The RAB took notice of the respondents’ propensity in using the same modus operandi in pursuing their criminal activity as evidenced by the string of administrative cases filed against them before various divisions of the RAB.