9 cops cleared of bribery

Reynaldo Acop, the former chief of the defunct Narcotics Command, and eight others have been cleared of bribery charges in connection with the release of Chinese nationals arrested in a 1998 drug raid.

The Sandiganbayan second division has dismissed the criminal cases filed against Acop and eight police officers who were accused of receiving P3 million and 10 kilograms of shabu in exchange for not pursuing the cases against the Chinese nationals.

Aside from Acop, cleared of direct bribery were police officials Francisco Villaroman, Julius Mana, Denn Tuvera, Cesar Aquino, Antonio Ventura, Danilo Castro, Ferdinand Apuli and Anthony Ong.