NPD arrests bogus cop; IDs, firearms seized

A man passing himself off as a policeman, complete with identification cards, a caliber .45 sidearm and ammo, and a genuine-looking toy assault rifle and pistol, was hauled away to jail over the weekend by Northern Police District (NPD) intelligence operatives after days of surveillance in Caloocan City.

Superintendent Maximino Valiente, District Police Intelligence Unit (DPIU) chief, said his men — PO3s Mardonio Abuda and Conrado Punzalan Jr. — arrested suspect Rommel Castillo, 28, of 9th Avenue, Caloocan City after persistent sleuthing.

Valiente said the suspect was arrested shortly after alighting from his service van, a white Mitsubishi Delica (RBN-902), which he parked in front of his house.

Abuda and Punzalan accosted the suspected upon seeing him with a gun tucked in his waist.

When asked why he had a firearm, Castillo introduced himself as policeman and showed the officers a Philippine National Police ID bearing his name.

The officers pounced on him and brought him to the police station.

Unknown to Castillo, the DPIU had done its homework. Valiente said that prior verification was already made by his office with the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) at PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, which certified that the suspect was not a member of the PNP.

Seized from Castillo were a caliber .45 Colt Mark IV, three magazines and 41 rounds of live ammo; a PNP ID No. A065052 bearing his name; PNP Badge No. 107575; a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) ID in his name showing he was an investigator of Enforcement Unit 2; an NCRPO item card also bearing his name; a black jacket with "POLICE" markings at the back and a nameplate at the right breast pocket bearing "Castillo."

Also found his possession was a letter order issued to "CA (confidential agent) Rommel Castillo" by the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID), PRO-4B and duly signed by Superintendent Jose Bucsit Macanas, RIID chief.

Replicas of an M-16 assault rifle and pistol, fan knife, five pawnshop tickets and three ATM cards in his name was also found in his pocket.

The suspect and the confiscated items, including the van, were brought to the police station for documentation and proper disposition.

Valiente said further investigation and information gathering are still being conducted to ascertain Castillo’s possible involvement in other criminal activities.

The suspect has been detained at the DPIU jail pending the filing of appropriate charges, said Valiente.