A Parañaque policeman was relieved after he parked a police patrol car near a motel and went on a drinking spree at a nearby nightclub in Pasay City early yesterday morning.
Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman ordered the relief of Police Officer 3 Jose Salazar from the Parañaque Police Community Precinct (PCP) No. 6 after the policeman parked the mobile patrol car near the Harrison Lodge and Miss Universal Disco Theater and KTV Bar along F.B. Harrison Street in Pasay.
An initial report on the incident said that at about 1:50 a.m., Salazar proceeded to F.B. Harrison allegedly to have the blinkers of the patrol vehicle repaired.
The patrol car, a Toyota Revo with licensed plates SBH-971, was parked near the Harrison Lodge motel reportedly with the permission of the motel’s security guard Ronnie Caritay.
Several mediamen spotted the police car parked in front of the motel and reported it to Parañaque police chief Superintendent Ronald Estilles.
Estilles immediately proceeded to the site followed by Ticman to verify the report.
Caritay told police officials that Salazar went inside the nearby nightclub together with three other companions who are reportedly policemen also.
Salazar admitted he was drunk when he parked the patrol car near the motel but insisted he brought out the vehicle to have its blinkers fixed.
Ticman ordered Estilles to confiscate Salazar’s .45 caliber service pistol. Salazar was temporarily assigned at the administrative holding section of the Parañaque police pending the investigation of the incident.
Ticman said he also ordered that a drug test be conducted on Salazar, a resident of No. 173 M. Santos Street, Pasay City.
He said possible charges that Salazar will be held liable are dereliction of duty, grave misconduct and indiscretion in performance of duty.