NCRPO chief sacks 'kotong' cop, 4 others

 Manila, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina ordered yesterday the dismissal from service of Senior Police Officer 4 Jose dela Peña and four other policemen based on a complaint of a retired general.

Espina also lined up for dismissal 11 other policemen, including a former station commander of the Manila Police District (MPD), for various crimes.

“Everybody should behave under my command,” said Espina as he warned bad eggs in the 17,000-strong NCRPO to reform or else suffer the same fate.

Espina said he invoked the powers vested in him as NCRPO chief under Republic Acts 6975 and 8551 to appoint and dismiss police personnel in sacking Dela Peña, who, along with PO2 Resty del Rosario, allegedly tried to extort money from his 22-year-old son on Sept. 4.

Illegal search

Dela Peña and his four companions – PO3 Rodolfo de Jesus, PO3 Carlos Bromeo, PO2 Crodel de Jose and PO2 Dionel Rosario – were accused by retired general Celso Castro of illegally searching his son’s car.

Dela Peña will suffer the forfeiture of all his benefits, including the cancellation of his retirement benefits and pension amounting to at least P3 million; his eligibility; and disqualification for re-employment in the police service.

Dela Peña and his companions were manning a random checkpoint at the corner of Betty Go Belmonte and Dama de Noche streets in New Manila on Nov. 7, 2009 when they accosted Castro’s son.

Dela Peña asked for the driver’s license of Castro’s son and then opened the door of the passenger seat and dipped his hands into the pouch of the car door. He also directed the other police officers to thoroughly check the interior of the car by opening the backseat doors and searching beneath the car seats.

Espina said Dela Peña and his companions are being dismissed for two counts of grave misconduct and three counts of serious irregularity in the performance of duty, based on Castro’s complaint.

Dela Peña is also facing charges of robbery, extortion, threat, and harassment in connection with other cases.

Inventory

Espina earlier ordered that an inventory of policemen with pending major cases be done and said these cases should be resolved within 30 days. Dela Peña and his four companions are the first casualties of Espina’s campaign to rid the NCRPO of police officers involved in “kotong” or extortion and other illegal activities.

He said only a few police officers are involved in activities that destroy the good image of the Philippine National Police.

Espina also listed other police officers he dismissed from the service: PO1 Adolfo Bautista Jr. for serious neglect of duty and less grave neglect of duty; PO2 Ferdinand Raquin for grave misconduct (violation of Napolcom Memo Circular 2007-001); PO2 John Pierre Bautista and PO1 Benjamin Gonzales for robbery-extortion; PO1 Rommel Isidro for use of dangerous drugs; SPO2 Federico Lictawa for serious neglect of duty (absent without official leave or AWOL); PO1 Nicoli Vigilia for grave misconduct (serious physical injury); PO1 Eric Babasa for murder; PO1 Rustico Gabuco for homicide and serious neglect of duty (AWOL); and PO2 Repablo Genarao for grave misconduct, illegal discharge of firearm and alarm and scandal.

He also sacked Superintendent Rogelio Rosales for going AWOL. Rosales is the commander of MPD Station 11 when Senior Inspector Joselito Binayug was caught on video torturing a detainee in a police precinct in Tondo.

Espina said those with complaints against NCRPO personnel may send him a message through 0999-9018181.