Rogue cops protecting Butaslac – military

Marikina’s most wanted criminal and his gang of robbers are being protected by at least four rogue policemen, a military official alleged ‘yesterday.

The Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) claimed that Ricardo Butaslac, 32, has been able to escape the long arm of the law because of protection given him by rogue policemen assigned at the local police, Camp Crame, Manila Police District and the Pasig City police.

Major Santee Cababasay, of the Military Intelligence Group 24 (MIG24), identified in his five-page report the four police officers allegedly protecting Butaslac and gang.

The STAR is withholding the names pending results of an investigation ordered by Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., Marikina City police chief.

According to an initial investigation, the four officers are distant relatives of Butaslac. But Ramos emphasized that they have no evidence linking them to Butaslac’s activities. "The four policemen are in any way related to Butaslac but we have no holdings as yet that they are involved his robbery operation."

Ramos said he would submit his background investigation report to higher headquarters in due time.

Cababasay organized an operation – dubbed Case Operation Plan "Iron Head" – to get Butaslac and his accomplices. They were allegedly responsible for the killing of a military confidential agent, Sgt. Ricardo Siuagan, during a robbery in Barangay Concepcion Uno last March 1.

Butaslac shot Siuagan dead after the Army trooper refused to hand over his wallet.

However, the MIG24 were beaten to the draw by elements of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), which arrested Butaslac in a chance encounter last Feb. 3.

Butaslac was collared when he shot it out with responding policemen from the Station 2 of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) minutes after he and an accomplice robbed the administrative office of Muñoz Market in Quezon City.

Superintendent Carlito Feliciano, QCPD Station 2 chief, put Butaslac under heavy guard while he recuperates at Quezon City General Hospital from a leg gunshot wound.

Feliciano reported that several policemen and civilians have been visiting the hospital to take pictures of Butaslac to determine whether he and his gang were involved in other robberies and car theft incidents.

Butaslac has at least 12 pending highway robbery cases in Marikina courts.

Meanwhile, Siuagan’s family lashed out at the prosecutor’s office of Marikina City for sitting on the case of the Army trooper.

The soldier’s sister plans to personally file a complaint today with Marikina Mayor Maria Lourdes Fernando against the city prosecutors for failing to lift a finger on her brother’s case.