DILG Chief Orders Disarming Cops Involved in EDSA Heist

Manila (PNA) — Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Wednesday ordered the revocation of their service and personal firearms of the cops involved in the robbery-abduction incident along Epifanio Delos Santos Ave. (EDSA) in Mandaluyong City last Sept. 1.

Of the 12 suspects, three are now in police custody. They were identified as Chief Insp. Joseph de Vera, head of the Station Investigation and Detective Management; Police Officer 2 Jonathan Rodriguez — both assigned at the La Loma Police Station in Quezon City; and Senior Inspector Allan Emlano of the Northern Police District (NPD), who surrendered at the La Loma station early Wednesday.

De Vera, Rodriguez and Emlano were already under the custody of the Eastern Police District (EPD) who handles the case, while the other suspects remain at large.

Other policemen tagged were Senior Insp. Oliver Villanueva, reportedly the mastermind; SPO1 Ramil Hachero, P02 Weavin Masa, PO2 Mark dela Paz, PO2 Jerome Datiguinoo, and PO2 Ebonn Decatoria, were all assigned at the La Loma Police Station; and Senior Insp. Marco Polo Estrera, a dismissed cop in 2006.

The two others — who are now the subject of police manhunt along with other suspects identified earlier — are a woman and an unidentified person who drove a motorcycle that blocked the SUV carrying the two victims during the heist.

Roxas, during the press briefing in Camp Crame, said the accused will be placed under absent without official leave (AWOL) status as the Philippine National Police (PNP) readies administrative charges against the suspects aside from the criminal charges they were facing such as kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

“The truth will set you free. Kung alam mong wala ka talagang kinalaman sa insidente na ito makaaasa kayo sa pantay na pagproseso, pero kung mapapatunayan na involved kayo pasensyahan nalang tayo,” he said urging the other cops involved to surrender.

Roxas said they are studying the possibility of conducting a lifestyle check to members of the PNP to clean the rank of erring cops.

“Pina-rereview ko na rin sa Philippine Public Safety College kung kailangang may baguhin sa recruitment system ng mga pulis para hindi na makapasok pa ang mga gustong maging pulis na walang balak gumawa ng maganda,” he said.

The DILG chief, however, asked the public not to generalize the character of all the PNP officials and personnel.

“Sa humigit kumulang 150,000 na mga pulis, maliit na porsyento lamang ang mga sangkot sa katiwalian kaya wag naman natin lahatin. Majority pa din ng mga pulis ang nananatiling totoo sa kanilang mga sinumpaang tungkulin,” he said.

Earlier, PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima directed its Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to investigate the case against the police officers involved in the abduction and robbery incident along EDSA in Mandaluyong City last Sept. 1.

According to Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, head of PNP-Public information Office (PIO), the IAS can investigate on its own initiative upon orders of the PNP chief even if there is no complaint filed but still administrative charges are being readied against the police officers.

Charges of brigandage (highway robbery), kidnapping and serious illegal detention were already slapped against the cops accused.

The Sept. 1 incident was made known when a video taken by a motorist regarding the gun-poking incident went viral in the Internet that triggered the creation of Special Investigation Task Group “Wack Wack”. The video was first posted in Twitter.

The investigation later on revealed that the perpetrators of the incident were all policemen.

From EDSA, the victims were allegedly brought to La Loma police station where they were held for more than seven hours.

More than Php2 million were also seized from the victims by the suspects. (PNA) lgi/CLTC/DSMM-AAA (OJT)