NCRPO chief investigates rookie cop’s 12 suspensions

MANILA, Philippines - A rookie Marikina policeman who managed to stay in the service despite having been suspended 12 times is facing closer scrutiny.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said he is looking into the case of Police Officer 1 Jaime Jan Brian Nicabera and circumstances behind his suspensions.

“We won’t allow any misfit in the police force. I will personally check his case,” Valmoria told The STAR.

The NCRPO investigation came a day after the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) stepped into the case of Nicabera upon learning that he had racked up 12 suspensions.

Senior Superintendent Alexander Tagum, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Anti-Organized Crime Division (CIDG-AOCD), said they have been instructed by the PNP- IAS to consolidate the documents about the rookie police officer.

Tagum said the CIDG learned about the Nicabera’s suspensions after his arrest for allegedly extorting from the sibling of a man facing drug charges.

Under IAS rules, Tagum said any police officer suspended three times for administrative cases should have faced summary dismissal proceedings.

CIDG chief Director Benjamin Magalong instructed Tagum to conduct further investigation into the case of Nicabera, who was arrested by Tagum’s team during a sting set up at a mall in Mandaluyong City a few days ago.

Reporters tried to get Nicabera’s side but he refused to comment on the allegations that he contacted the sibling of a man facing drug charges and offered to work for the dismissal of the case for P100,000.

Tagum said the complainant haggled until the amount was reduced to P15,000 but reported the incident to the CIDG Complaint Monitoring Division.