3 Pasay cops sacked for protecting robbers

MANILA, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina yesterday ordered three Pasay policemen disarmed, stripped of their badges and subjected to dismissal proceedings for allegedly being “protectors” of robbers in the city.

Espina based his order on Nerissa Guirao’s complaint against Police Officers 2 Teodoro Morales and Ralph Boco and PO1 Marte Ray Quezon.

Guirao said she had withdrawn P20,000 from an ATM machine at around 8:30 p.m. on April 24 when three robbers approached her and took the money as well as her wallet, an additional P5,000 and several ATM cards.

After the robbers left, Guirao said she asked help from the three police officers, who were in a patrol car.

The policemen asked Guirao questions about the incident and asked her to accompany them in searching for the suspects in the area. She said just a few blocks away, one of the men who robbed her approached the patrol car and handed Morales a gold necklace and some money.

Guirao said she told the policemen the man was the same one who robbed her, but the police officers replied that she might be mistaken. She got out of the patrol car, disappointed by the lawmen’s inaction.

The following morning, Guirao said she went to the Maricaban police precinct to report the incident. To her surprise, she said she saw the three robbers calmly chatting with Morales, Boco, Quezon and other police officers inside the precinct.

She left the precinct and filed criminal, civil and administrative charges against the three policemen before the NCRPO, Espina said.