MANILA, Philippines — Three police officers were relieved from their posts after tampering with closed-circuit television cameras during a raid on a suspected online scam hub in Manila recently.
The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) raided last October 29 a Philippine offshore gaming operator hub on Adriatico Street in Ermita, Manila.
Initial investigation showed that the officers twisted and covered the hallway cameras as police personnel walked without shirts due to the heat in the building’s 23rd floor on October 31 while conducting further investigation and gathering pieces of evidence, according to the PNP-ACG’s statement on Tuesday.
“This situation led them to twist and cover only the hallway cameras, while the cameras in the workstations where the devices were located remained operational,” the statement added.
PNP-ACG confirmed with police officers that the building’s air conditioning systems had been turned off since October 31 afternoon.
“The reason why we continued the presence ng PNP personnel doon is to make sure na yung mga ebidensyang na-seize during the investigation ay hindi maa-alter at hindi mawawala, ” PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo clarified in a press briefing on Thursday.
(The reason why we kept the presence of PNP personnel there is to make sure that the evidence seized during the investigation won’t be altered or stolen.)
Fajardo added that police officers “completely withdrew” from Century Peak Tower on Wednesday, November 6, and that the ACG personnel in question were under restrictive custody.
“The PNP-ACG is concerned about the welfare of the police officers, but we take this incident very seriously and will not tolerate such actions. Sanctions will be imposed if these police officers are found liable,” said PNP-ACG Director Maj. Gen. Ronnie Francis Cariaga.
The National Capital Region Police Office earlier clarified that the PNP ACG led the Pogo raid without the involvement of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.