The Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has assured the public that police officers who were named as suspects in the alleged abduction of online cockfighting or “e-sabong” agents have been relieved from their posts while an investigation against them is underway.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said that the police officers mentioned during the Senate hearing last Monday — including Police Staff Sergeant Daryl Paghangaan and Patrolman Roy Navarette — have been assigned to the holding unit of Police Regional Office 4-A (PRO-4A).
Paghangaan and Navarette were positively identified by relatives of Ricardo Lasco, one of the 34 individuals involved in the e-sabong business who were allegedly abducted by armed men in August 2021.
“Pagkatapos nga po no’ng naganap na Senate inquiry last Monday ay nagpatuloy po ‘yong pag-iimbestiga ng PNP natin sa pangunguna po ng SITG ng CIDG (Criminal Investigation Detection Group). At ‘yong mga pulis po na na-mention, ‘yong mga pangalan no’ng nakaraan na Senate inquiry ay ngayon po ay nandoon po sila sa holding division po ng Police Regional Office 4A sa Camp Vicente Lim,” Fajardo said.
(After the events at the Senate inquiry last Monday, the PNP’s investigation led by the SITG of the CIDG is continuing. And the police officers whose names were mentioned in the Senate hearing are currently at the holding division of the Police Regional Office 4A in Camp Vicente Lim.)
“As per our coordination today with the regional director po, ‘yong tatlo pong nabanggit na mga pangalan during the Senate hearing ay sila po ay ni-relieve na sa kanilang pwesto at kasalukuyan nga pong nandoon ngayon naka-assign sa Regional Holding Admin Unit po ng PRO-4A,” she added.
(As per our coordination today with the regional director, the three mentioned during the Senate have been relieved from their posts and are currently assigned to the Regional Holding Admin Unit of PRO-4A.)
READ: Kin face cops accused of abducting e-sabong agent
Aside from the three police officers, Laguna Provincial Police chief Col. Rogarth Campo — who was implicated by gaming magnate Atong Ang as part of a purported ongoing conspiracy against him — was also relieved from his post.
According to Fajardo, Campo is now assigned at the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management’s holding unit in Camp Crame.
“During the Senate hearing ay sama-sama nga tayo na narinig na binanggit ni Ginoong Atong Ang ‘yong pangalan ni Col. Rogarth Campo, dito ay kasama ito, bahagi ito sa ginagawang investigation and this lunch time lang ay nakakuha tayo ng confirmation na si Col. Rogarth Campo ay ni-relieve na sa kanyang pwesto bilang provincial director,” the PNP spokesperson said.
(During the Senate hearing we heard that Mr. Atong Ang mentioned the name of Col. Rogarth Campo, who is among the officials being investigated, and just this lunchtime we received confirmation that he has been relieved from his post as provincial director.)
Even while the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has vowed to prepare a case against the identified police officers, Fajardo said the PNP will still conduct a motu proprio investigation led by PRO-4A’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS).
READ: Cops identified as suspects behind missing e-sabong agent; CIDG readying raps
The investigation would also focus on the immediate supervisors of the officers involved, to determine whether they are culpable for the incidents or if they were negligent in their duties, Fajardo said.
“Nagbigay na po ng direktiba ‘yong ating regional director, si Police Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra sa atin pong regional director ng Internal Affairs Service ng Region 4A para mag-conduct po ng motu proprio investigation concerning na rin po ito doon sa alleged irregularity doon sa anti-illegal drugs operation na kinonduct nga po nitong mga nasabing pulis,” Fajardo explained.
(Our regional director, Police Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra, has already issued a directive to the regional Internal Affairs Service of Region 4A to conduct a motu proprio investigation concerning the alleged irregularity in the anti-illegal drugs operation conducted by the said police officers.)
“Hindi lamang limitado sa mga pangalang nabanggit ‘yong ating investigation, in fact ‘yong kanilang mga immediate supervisors, team leaders ay iimbestigahan din under the doctrine of command responsibility, para tignan kung alam ba nila o nagkaroon ng kapabayaan in terms of supervision dito sa mga nabanggit na ating mga pulis,” she also said.
(Our investigation would not be limited to the names mentioned, but would also include their immediate supervisors, team leaders who will also be probed under the doctrine of command responsibility, to see if they were aware of the suspects’ activities or if there is negligence in terms of supervision.)
The Senate is investigating the abduction of e-sabong operators and agents, which happened around August 2021, and remains unsolved up to this day. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, chair of the Senate committee on public order, has vowed to continue investigating the disappearances until the main culprit is pinned down.
Dela Rosa, a former chief of PNP, said he does not believe that guards carried out the abductions without a superior ordering them to do so.
READ: Bato dela Rosa presses e-sabong probe