Varilla issued his order following reports that PO2 Ramil Along, assigned at the District Services and Security Group (DSSG) of the Southern Police District (SPD) has gone absent without official leave (AWOL). SPD director Senior Superintendent Ricardo Padilla said Along has failed to report for work since Sept. 9.
Along was transferred to the SPD after government witness Samer Palao, 37, tagged him and 21 other policemen as protectors of Boratong in his alleged drug peddling activities.
"He reported to the DSSG upon his transfer and disappeared since Sept. 9," said Padilla, adding he immediately listed Along as AWOL.
Varilla vowed to dismiss Along from the police service should he fail to explain his long absence. "We will give him due process. We will closely follow our standard operating procedure (SOP) so he could present his side on the issue," said Varilla.
The Metro police chief has created Task Force Talipapa to probe the claim of Palao against the 22 policemen.
In a close-door meeting last week, Task Force Talipapa commander Chief Superintendent Rey Roderos has relegated to other police units their task in going after Boratong, including the 22 policemen and his assets and property.
When government agents raided the shabu "tiangge" located along F. Soriano St., Sitio Mapayapa in Barangay Soriano last Feb. 10, among those seized inside the compound was a police uniform of Along, police said.
Palao said Along receives P20,000 weekly from Boratong.
According to Palao, Along and a certain Nasser Labay were the principal suspects in the brutal killing of German Colisao, a TV asset caught sneaking a digital camera inside the shabu compound.
A police report showed that Colisao was gunned down by two motorcycle-riding men while walking along Barangay Pinagbuhatan.
Senior Superintendent Francisco Uyami Jr., Pasig City police chief has filed murder charges against Along, Labay, Boratong and his wife, Mimie before the Department of Justice (DOJ) last July 11.
Reports reaching Varilla showed that Along was spotted several times in Pasig City collecting the "proceeds" of Boratong’s alleged drug peddling activities. "May kasama siya (Along) na si alyas Boy Negro sa pangongolekta ng bayad ng lingguhang shabu kay Boratong," a police official said. – Non Alquitran