3 Ilocos Norte cops in hot water for loss of marked money

PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte , Philippines   â€“ The police chief of this northernmost Ilocos Norte town has recommended the relief of three policemen who could not produce the P1,000 in marked money used in a drug buy-bust operation against a barangay tanod.

Chief Inspector Teddy Rosqueta said he recommended to the provincial police that P01 Richard Rarangol, evidence custodian, and P01s Ryan Piga and Rodolfo Olivas be relieved from their posts.

He said the buy-bust operation last July 9 was successful with the suspect, Vincent Rodriguez, chief tanod of Barangay Poblacion 1, caught red-handed selling shabu to a poseur buyer.

But when the case was presented for inquest in the prosecutor’s office, the three police officers could not present the P1,000 marked money used in the operation. 

Rosqueta said he was not satisfied with the answer of the three police officers to the memorandum that he issued ordering them to explain the loss of the marked money.

Rodriguez was arrested along with Arnel Quitoriano of Barangay Poblacion 2. They had been under thorough surveillance before the buy-bust operation.     – With Raymund Catindig