By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Four police officers were among the eight suspects who were charged over the robbery of a Japanese national and his Filipina partner in Pasig City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Wednesday (Dec. 22).
In a statement, NCRPO chief, Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said charges of robbery and carnapping were filed against Staff Sgt. Jayson Bartolome, Cpl. Merick Desoloc, Cpl. Christian Jerome Reyes, and Pat. Kirk Joshua Almojera before the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office on Dec. 19.
Also facing charges are three civilians identified as AJ Mary Agnas, Jhon Carlo Atienza, and Ruwel Galang, as well as a dismissed police officer identified as Ferdinand Fallaria.
Agnas, 22, who allegedly works for the victims Kani Toshihiro and his partner, Joana Marie Espiritu, was arrested while Atienza, 30, was found dead with a gunshot wound at the corner of Kalayaan Avenue and Tolentino Street in Barangay Pinagkaisahan, Makati City.
Meanwhile, Galang and Fallaria remain at large.
According to initial reports, the suspects forced Toshihiro to open a vault and scooped out an estimated P30 million in cash and an expensive mobile phone.
While escaping onboard four motorcycles, the suspects were engaged by alert police responders, triggering a brief shootout that resulted in the death of Atienza and the wounding of Bartolome.
According to the report of the Pasig City police, the suspects tossed paper bills amounting to around P1.3 million while cops pursued them.
Danao also ordered to fast-track the administrative cases against the involved active personnel who are now on automatic leave of absence and are being handled by the Office of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD).
“We will continue to cleanse our ranks. We will never tolerate these policemen and guarantee that they will be charged accordingly and immediately so that other Metro Cops will have second thoughts in doing the same,” he said.
Danao also called on the cooperation of the public regarding the other suspects who are still hiding from the law.
Any information regarding their whereabouts, the public may contact the Pasig City Police Station at 0921-892-2950 (Globe), 0998-598-7880 (Smart) or 8447-79-53 or the NCRPO Text hotline numbers Isumbong Kay RD NCRPO O915- 888-9181 for GLOBE subscribers and 0999-901-8181 for SMART subscribers whenever there are any suspicious person/s in their community.
“Rest assured that your identity will be highly confidential for your own safety and security. As of this report, an investigation relative to the case is still underway. Further development will be released,” Danao said. (PNA) – bny
