11 cops sacked over kidnap of drug suspects

MANILA, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has relieved 11 anti-narcotics officers from their posts for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping and disappearance of four drug suspects last year.

NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo ordered the relief of Drug Enforcement Unit chief Lt. Col. Ryan Orapa along with his men Lt. Jesus Menez; Staff Sergeants Ronald Lanaria, Ronald Montibon, Troy Paragas, Roy Pioquinito and Robert Raz Jr.; Corporals Christal Rosita, Denar Roda, Alric Natividad and Ruscel Solomon.

The anti-drug operatives were placed under the restrictive custody of the NCRPO Regional Headquarters Support Unit.

They were reassigned due to the gravity of the offense filed against them by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Task Force Against Illegal Drugs over the disappearance of four drug suspects in Cavite last year, according to Estomo.

On Wednesday, the NBI filed charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention as well as violation of the anti-enforced or involuntary disappearance law against the NCRPO personnel in connection with the kidnapping of siblings Gio and Mico Mateos, Garry Matreo Jr. and Ronaldo Anonuevo on April 13, 2021.

“The NCRPO condemns and will never tolerate violations of human rights, law and order,” Estomo said. “Rest assured that we will cooperate and will not condone any form of lawlessness committed by our men regardless of rank should it be established following due investigation by competent authorities.”

The NBI has clarified that the suspects were charged in connection with the kidnapping of drug suspects and not of sabungeros or cockfight players.

“The investigation on the disappearances is related to drug offenses,” lawyer Eduardo Ramos, the lead investigator in the case, told The STAR.

Four police assets were also included in the complaint: Nicasio and Nicholes Manio, Angelo Atienza and another known only as “Boss Mark.”

The NBI said it was able to obtain closed-circuit television footage of the suspects entering a restaurant in Tagaytay City before boarding their vehicles to carry out the alleged kidnapping.

According to a News5 report that aired on April 22, 2021, the Mateos siblings and their friend Matreo were allegedly involved in drug trafficking.

Ramos said the kidnapping of the four drug suspects is only connected to the case involving the missing cockfight players because of the involvement of police assets Nicasio and Nicholes Manio in the disappearance of online sabong agents Johnver Francisco and Franc Tabaranza. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab