CIDG-Batangas team sacked over role in crime activities

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome ordered the relief yesterday of the entire team of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Batangas over their reported involvement in various criminal activities, including kidnapping and illegal detention.

Bartolome also directed CIDG regional officer Senior Superintendent Bernabe Balba to explain allegations of misconduct against his men led by  Chief Inspector Jay Agcaoili.

He identified the sacked policemen as  SPO3 Emmanuel Rabe, SPO2 Apollo Marasigan, SPO1 Maximo Catedulla, SPO1 Donnabelle Campos, PO2 Jeffrey Malibiran, PO2 Jose Wally Banaag and PO1 Novel Calo of Silang,Cavite police.

Celso Ansino, a civilian, was also arrested. A certain “Sir Athan” and “Sir Jimmy” remain at large.

The PNP chief ordered the transfer of Agcaoili and his men to the PNP Holding and Administrative Unit at Camp Crame. 

“This is part of our continuing program to eliminate dysfunctions in the organization arising from irregularities committed by deviants in uniform” Bartolome said.

He said reports reaching his office stated that the CIDG-Batangas team allegedly extorted P1 million from the family of detained drug suspect Christina Rodriguez, whom they reportedly kidnapped in Pasay City.

Bartolome tapped CALABARZON director Chief Superintendent James Melad and newly designated Intelligence Group director, Chief Superintendent Charles Calima Jr., to conduct an investigation and file criminal and administrative charges against the CIDG personnel and their commander.

Bartolome said the CIDG personnel were found to be involved, one way or the other, in the negotiations for Rodriguez’s release. The sacked policemen reportedly demanded P1 million but reduced it to P400,000.

Rodriguez, a sophomore student of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay, was reportedly seized by armed men while at a bus terminal in Pasay City on April 18. She told investigators the kidnappers brought her to the CIDG-Batangas at Camp Miguel Malvar, where she was detained until her release Friday evening following a ransom payment at the office. 

Her alleged kidnappers were arrested in an entrapment operation after her relatives, who were instructed by the CIDG personnel to bring the P400,000 to their office, sought the help of the Calabarzon police.

Balba, meanwhile told The STAR that CIDG-Batangas has properly coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Batangas police in the drug operation against Rodriquez.

Balba also claimed that Agcaoili’s men submitted a pre-charge operation report to CIDG-Batangas, which gave them 36 hours to file a case against Rodriquez, but the Calabarzon police swooped down on the CIDG office, which resulted in the arrest of Agcaoili’s men.