MANILA, Philippines -- A Parañaque City policeman who parked the patrol vehicle he was driving at a Pasay City motel early Tuesday morning was personally disarmed and relieved from his post by his chief of police, Superintendent Ronald Estilles.

Estilles and Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman personally went to the Harrison Lodge on F.B. Harrison Street after receiving reports that the white Toyota Revo of Police Community Precinct (PCP) 6, with body number 43006 and red (government) license plate SBH 971, had been attracting the attention of people, who wondered why the vehicle was parked in the hotel.

Police Officer 3 Jose Salazar, who later told his superiors he took the vehicle with him to have its blinker fixed, arrived at the motel around 4:30 a.m. with an electrician but was met by Ticman and Estilles, accompanied with journalists.

Ticman immediately ordered Estilles to disarm the policeman and disarm him.

The policeman claimed he parked the patrol vehicle at the motel because it would not fit in the garage of his house at 173 M. Santos Street. He also told his superiors he was alone and coordinated his movements with the Pasay City police station’s PCP 3.

Estilles acknowledged that he called up the tactical operations center and was informed Salazar reportedly intended to have the vehicle’s blinker fixed at F.B. Harrison Street.

But motel security guard Ronel Caritay told investigators he saw three policemen in uniform and a man in civilian attire inside the vehicle. He said the four asked him to keep an eye on the patrol vehicle and then entered the Miss Universal KTV Bar.

Estilles and Ticman personally went to F.B. Harrison to look for Salazar but failed to find him at the bar or inside the motel.

"I even looked for him at his residence but did not find him there. We asked the manager of the motel and they told us that nakiparada lang talaga [he just parked there]," Estilles said.

But he said: "There is still an ongoing investigation. We have asked the management of the motel and the Miss Universal KTV to verify if Salazar went inside their establishments."

"If he really wanted to have the blinker fixed, why did he park it at the motel? And at that time of night? And he should have returned the car to headquarters as soon as it was fixed," Estilles said.

Estilles said Salazar faces a possible administrative case for either grave misconduct, dereliction of duty, or indiscretion in the performance of duty.

"If we find out that Salazar went somewhere else other than to have the blinker fixed, say, to the KTV or the motel, then he might be dismissed from the service," he added.

Salazar, he said, "has since been reassigned to the administrative holding section while an investigation is ongoing."

Ticman added he has also ordered a drug test on Salazar.