11 ‘hulidap’ policemen sacked

CEBU, Philippines - Eleven policemen under the Drug Enforcement Unit of Cebu City Police Office’s Station 6 (San Nicolas Police Station) who were allegedly involved in an extortion case were already relieved from their posts.

No less than CCPO Director Joel Doria made the announcement to the media yesterday.

“Definitely po ay tanggal na po sa Station 6. Puro mga bago na ang nandiyan.  Kaso hindi lang natin ma-release ang name pending investigation po. Kasi, currently nag-ga-gather pa tayo ng mga ebidensiya, kasi mahirap naman na wala tayong hawak na matibay na ebidensiya bigla nalang natin i-release sa public (ang mga pangalan nila). Mahirap ‘yon dahil baka mamaya magkaproblema tayo,” he said.

The relieved policemen were transferred to other units in the region.

Doria also said their transfer is part of internal cleansing within CCPO, as directed by Police Regional Office-7 Director Noli Taliño.

“Iyon pong mga binabanggit ninyo, base po dun sa direktiba ng ating RD (regional director).  Mayroon po tayong internal cleansing, currently may mga na-relieve na tayo, wala na sila sa DEU,” Doria said.

Meanwhile, City Councilor Davide Tumulak said his office is also investigating the allegation against the policemen, especially that Doria said he needed complainants to sign affidavits to serve as pieces of evidence in filing a case against the suspected policemen.

“Ang ginagawa natin ngayon ay nag-request nga tayo, kung makakuha tayo ng complainant na written na matibay-tibay iyung kasong ipa-file natin, at the same time kung may mga report pa na maibigay sa atin na makakatulong sa ginagawang imbestigasyon natin," he said.

At the Cebu City Hall, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he would look into the possibility of withdrawing the incentives given by the city government to the police.

“I don’t know, we’ll see (whether to cut allowance or not). We have not made any decision to cut, you just simply the important thing is brought to our attention is that they are being transferred to CIB,” he told a press conference yesterday.

It was last Monday when Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters, asked CCPO to investigate the policemen.

Osmeña said he was told that the police were allegedly transferred to CCPO’s intelligence branch, which for him is the “worst” move.

“I told the police chief (Doria) to carefully assess the situation but he will be held responsible if this continue after their transfer in CIB (Criminal Investigation Bureau),” the mayor said.

Osmeña said it is up to the CCPO to decide if those involved in alleged extortion will be transferred outside the city or not.

“Let them find their own solution to that,” he said when asked if he will ask for the transfer of the involved policemen.

He said Doria told him that CCPO will investigate the matter.

Tumulak said he has been receiving complaints against these policemen who allegedly extorted from targets of the police’s anti-drug operations.

He said a few of the subjects, including those who have yielded to CCPO’s Oplan Tokhang, went to his office to report that the policemen allegedly demanded money, among others.

He said the victims were allegedly forced to sell their personal effects to give money for fear that the policemen would go after them.

He said the five, all low-ranking policemen, have reportedly been accused of extortion in the past. –/ RHM (FREEMAN)