Cops ‘detained’ despite case dismissal

Seven Manila policemen are crying foul over their continued "detention" at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) despite the dismissal of criminal and administrative charges against them last year.

Chief Inspector Joselito Sta. Teresa, Senior Police Officers 3 Joselito dela Cruz and Joselito Ruz, Senior Police Officer 1 Vicente Noriega, Police Officers 3 Teofilo Biong and Alfredo Pacoma and Police Officer 2 Jaime Salonga were transfered to the NCRPO’s Regional Headquarters Support Group (RHSG) following the filing of charges against them for the alleged unlawful arrest, illegal detention and robbery extortion committed against Japanese national Kazuaki Tomizawa on Aug. 18 last year.

The RHSG functions as the withholding center of Metro Manila policemen facing charges and ensures their presence during hearings.

On Nov. 3, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS) "dismissed for lack of merit" the administrative cases filed against the seven policemen.

On Dec. 14, Manila City prosecutor Jhosep Lopez approved the dismissal of the criminal case against them for "lack of probable cause."

Chief Inspector Isagani Aguas, deputy chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD), exonerated Sta. Teresa of the administrative charge of command responsiblity on the same case.

While Pacoma has been reassigned to the Quezon City Police District and Ruz is detailed at the Commission on Elections, their five colleagues said they are still being held at the RHSG and their request to return to the Manila Police District has not been acted upon.

Lawyer Federico de Vera Jr., who represents the seven policemen, said the continued detention of his clients at the NCRPO violates Rule 3 of the National Police Commission Memorandum Circular 2002-013, which provides that "the concerned PNP disciplinary authority shall act on the decision of the Inspector General, or Director of the regional IAS office, within 30 days from receipt of the (decision). Failure to act within the said period shall render the decision final."

RIDMD chief Senior Superintendent Clarence Guinto, in his letter to De Vera dated March 16, said the IAS decision was not given due course and did not attain finality, for its was not approved by the proper disciplinary authority but forwarded to another office for reinvestigation.

"This is double jeopardy on my clients. It is plain and simple harassment," De Vera was quoted by his clients as saying when he received the letter.

The five policemen still at the RHSG said they are contemplating filing graft charges against police officials who had caused their continued stay at the NCRPO.