MANILA — Eleven personnel of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) have been relieved over a robbery and extortion complaint, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) announced Friday.
NCRPO Chief Director Camilo Cascolan identified the relieved officers as Supt. Igmedio Bernaldez, Police Station 11 commander; Chief Insp. Erwin Guevarra, Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) chief; Police Officers (PO) 2 Noel Sanchez and Dennis Eria; and PO1s Edward Ramos, Michael Eric Ramirez, Ray John Rodriguez, Gaudencio Escoton, Sepzon Suclad, Ryan Rodriguez, and Leny Atma.
All are being held at the District Personnel Accounting Unit of the QCPD.
“In line with the stern warning of our Chief PNP (Philippine National Police), Director General Oscar Albayalde, we will not stop policing our ranks and we will go after shenanigans,” Cascolan said.
The police officers were named in a complaint filed by Lorenzo Soriano, through lawyer Maria Antonia Pascual, to the QCPD against Police Station 11 personnel, who allegedly demanded PHP300,000 in exchange for the release of Soriano’s uncle, Flexis Jeffrey Posadas, and driver Efren Ferrer.
Initial investigation showed that Posadas and Ferrer were arrested for violation of the Omnibus Election Code (Gun Ban) along E. Rodriguez corner Tomas Morato, Barangay Kristong Hari in Quezon City on Thursday.
The arresting officers reportedly demanded PHP200,000 for Posadas’ release. The payment was done by Soriano at 9 a.m. of May 3, inside the SDEU office where he saw his uncle and the driver with two policemen.
Soriano said he was told to wait for the release but was later ordered to go home. At 4 p.m. of the same day, the arresting officers demanded an additional PHP100,000 and agreed to wait until 9 p.m. for the second payment, which prompted Soriano to file a complaint before the QCPD.
QCPD’s Counter Intelligence Task Force and Special Weapons and Tactics Unit staged an entrapment operation where an employee of Posadas brought the money to the suspects. QCPD operatives went to Police Station 11 and held all personnel inside.
Police probe also revealed that Posadas was arrested with a caliber 38 revolver in his possession but his actual firearm is a licensed 9-mm. pistol Sig Sauer.
There was also no record in the blotter book and no entry number on the spot report regarding Posadas’ arrest.
“Let me remind all our policemen that the NCRPO is serious with the Internal Cleansing Program of the PNP. In fact, the ones who arrested the policemen of PS11 were also police officers,” Cascolan added. (PNA)
