Ex-crime lab head dismissed for altering shabu evidence

MALOLOS, Bulacan — The former chief of the police crime laboratory in the province has been dismissed from the service, seven months after he was relieved for tampering with shabu evidence under his custody.

The dismissal of Chief Inspector Samuel Estrope was contained in an order issued by Chief Superintendent Jose Marlowe Pedregosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory at Camp Crame.

Estrope was found to have replaced shabu under the provincial crime lab’s custody. The shabu, estimated at more than one kilo with a street value of at least P1 million, is being used as evidence in 424 illegal drug cases.

When Estrope was relieved last March 6, the Central Luzon police crime lab was tasked to make an inventory of the shabu evidence. But Estrope denied the probers, led by Chief Inspector Alma Villaseñor, access to the vault, giving alibis for not showing up during the inventory dates.

In Camp Crame’s inquiry, Estrope admitted replacing the evidence despite his duty to "preserve the original evidence."

Under PNP Memorandum Circular 93-024, however, destroying, concealing, damaging or tampering with physical evidence to be presented in court constitutes grave dishonesty and is punishable by dismissal from the police service.

Estrope is also facing criminal charges with the provincial prosecutor’s office.