Manila cop, 6 others suspended for extortion

Metro police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla meted a 90-day suspension against a Manila police official and six of his men, who allegedly extorted P500,000 from a Japanese national they arrested on illegal recruitment charges on Aug. 18, 2006.

Varilla ordered the conduct of summary dismissal proceedings against Chief Inspector Joselito Sta. Teresa, head of the district police intelligence unit (DPIU) of the Manila Police District (MPD) and his men SP02s Joselito de la Cruz and Joselito Ruiz; SPO1 Vicente Noriega; PO3s Teofilo Biong and Wilfredo Pacoma and PO2 Jaime Salonga.

He had acted on the recommendation of Senior Superintendent Clarence Quinto, head of the regional investigation and detective management division (RIDMD) of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO).

Quinto conducted an investigation to determine whether or not Sta. Teresa and his men were liable for administrative charges for the illegal arrest of Kazuaki Tomizawa.

"We find probable cause on the administrative charges against the respondents for grave misconduct on the alleged robbery-extortion against them," said Quinto in a five-page report to Varilla.

Varilla named Superintendent Victor Arevalo as the chairman of the summary hearing board that will hear the side of Sta. Teresa and his men. Senior Inspectors Nelson Bautista and Allan Umipig of the Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU) were also named members of the panel. NCRPO spokesman Superintendent Rommel Bautista said that, under the PNP law, Sta. Teresa and six of his men would be suspended without pay and will also be asked to surrender their issued firearms.

Quinto said Tomizawa was resting at his rented apartment in Makati City on Aug. 18 when Sta. Teresa’s men arrested and brought him to MPD headquarters along United Nations Avenue along with his 30 female visitors.

Tomizawa was released on the same day after he allegedly gave the arresting officers P500,000.

Quinto said Tomizawa’s arrest was based on separate complaints of illegal recruitment lodged by Jenny de Guzman and Carla Santos on Aug. 17 and 18.

He said that there is sufficient evidence to establish probable cause regarding Tomizawa’s guilt based on the complaints and the certification of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) that Tomizawa is not a licensed recruiter.

"If the respondents... really believed that there was not even an iota of evidence to indict complainant for illegal recruitment, the reason given why Tomizawa was released from custody, (they) should have not arrested him in the first place – as this (make) them liable for illegal arrest," said Quinto in his report.

The accused police officers filed the illegal recruitment charges against Tomizawa on Aug. 24, he said.

Sta. Teresa was included in the case because he signed the pre-operation plan resulting in Tomizawa’s warrantless arrest, Quinot said: "Sta. Teresa had prior knowledge then of the case for illegal recruitment against the complainant as he signed the pre-operation report which resulted to Tomizawa’s arrest. For no apparent reason, Sta. Teresa failed to supervise his co-respondents right after their operation and during the investigation of the case."

The scenario provided reasonable suspicion of Sta. Teresa’s involvement in the robbery-extortion, Quinto added.

The accused also snubbed the invitation of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for them to appear at Camp Crame for an investigation of Tomizawa’s complaint.

The respondents said they were exonerated of the robbery-extortion and unlawful arrest charges filed against them before the Manila city prosecutor’s office.

However, Quinto said the dismissal of the criminal cases against the respondents is not grounds for the dismissal of any administrative cases against them.

The Internal Affairs Service (IAS) also exonerated the police officers of the charges against them, but Quinto said the IAS powers are only recommendatory in nature. — Non Alquitran