DOJ probes ‘shabu cop’

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to hear on Monday the string of criminal charges against a policeman and two others arrested by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents in a drug raid in Manila last Wednesday.

Assistant State Prosecutor Jocelyn Dugay set the hearing for the preliminary investigation (PI) against Police Officer 2 Jolly Aliangan; his wife, Ronalie; and their driver, Jeffrey Gutierrez, at 9 a.m.

They were charged before the DOJ last Thursday for possession of illegal drugs and illegal drug paraphernalia under Republic Act 9165 (Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions under RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).

The three were brought to the prosecutor for inquest proceedings, where charges are supposed to be resolved in just a couple of days from the time of their arrest. But they waived their right for immediate resolution of the charges and instead opted for a full-blown PI.

In its complaint, the NBI alleged that its agents confiscated over 100 grams of shabu from the respondents during the raid in Aliangan’s house in Sampaloc, Manila.

Aside from illegal drugs, NBI agents also seized several firearms, ammunition and P6.91 million in cash from Aliangan’s house.

The NBI agents also filed an additional charge of illegal drug use against the policeman’s wife after she tested positive for shabu.  

Full cooperation

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Joel Pagdilao vowed yesterday to cooperate fully in any investigation on Aliangan, who is detailed with the NCRPO’s anti-illegal drug unit.

“We have nothing to hide here,” Pagdilao said after Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (NCRPO), said Aliangan’s superiors should explain why he remained on active duty, despite facing several cases, until his arrest.

Pagdilao said Aliangan was an isolated case since he joined the unit only on Dec. 2, 2015.

When Aliangan was with the Manila Police District, he was charged with the kidnapping of a Korean man in 2013. MPD director Senior Superintendent Rolando Nana earlier said he rejected Aliangan’s application to join the district’s anti-drug unit because the policeman failed the background check he ordered.

Pagdilao said the NCRPO’s anti-drug unit, headed by Chief Inspector Robert Razon, caught several alleged drug pushers and seized hundreds of million worth of shabu.

He earlier directed Razon to explain in writing why he failed to detect if Aliangan was indeed reselling shabu and other illegal drugs confiscated during police operations, as claimed by the NBI.

Aliangan reportedly sold the drugs from his home in Sampaloc, Manila.