Eleazar sacks 5 cops for ‘meddling’ in sexual molestation case of Chinese

Director Guillermo Eleazar, NCRPO chief. (Photo by JAM STA ROSA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Five Pasay City police officers, including a precinct commander, were relieved from their posts on Tuesday for allegedly facilitating the settlement of a case involving a Chinese national accused of molesting three women in an amusement park.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar said on Tuesday that these police officers, who were stationed at the Police Community Precinct 1 (PCP 1) in Pasay City, were allegedly urging the victims not to file charges against the Chinese national and just go for the settlement. 

The police officers were also said to be “insinuating” of getting their own shares from the settlement.

Eleazar added that the NCRPO is still investigating these allegations as he placed the involved officers on a floating status.

“Because of the allegations na sinasabi na fina-faciliate itong settlement nitong Chinese sa three complainant at apparently nag-iinsinuate pa ng share, ‘yun ang ating iniimbestigahan,” Eleazar said in an interview.

“Based on my directive to the chief of police, ni-relieve natin yung apat na investigators on the particular night, including the PCP commander ng PCP1,” he added.

A Chinese man was recently arrested for allegedly molesting three women inside an amusement park in Pasay City.

READ: Chinese man arrested for molesting 3 women in Pasay theme park

One of the victims’ mothers claimed that one of the arresting officers were convincing victims to just settle and not to call their parents anymore since they were already 18 years old.

“‘Yung sinabi sakin nung isang bata na kinausap sila (ng arresting officer) to settle na lang at saka 18 years old naman daw sila ‘wag na tawagin yung parents para di na kami maabala,” the mother said.

“Sa mga bata, para sa kanila, iniisip siguro nila okay na, magkano ang tanong sa kanila, sinabi na P300 to 500 na lang daw. Sabi ng arresting officer, ‘Ay hindi mga 20,000 lang yan, papaano naman kami?’ Yun yung sabi daw ng arresting officer,” she added.

The mother said they were also urged to settle since the case is bailable.

She said that they were bothered by how the police interviewed the girls as the case should have been handled by the Women’s and Children Protection Desk Unit.

“Imbis na kami yung tulungan niyo, the way na nangyari doon sa mga anak namin. Traumatized na yung anak ko, tinatanong nyo pa ng ganyan. Dapat girl din yung nagtatanong doon sa mga bata. Hindi ‘yung lalaki kasi sinabi ‘ayaw mo yata eh’ ginanun nila yung mga bata kasi they decided not to settle,” she said.

“Actually, we’re very disappointed the way they handled the situation and the way they are asking the girls,” the mother added. /jpv