Cops in chopper scam can’t expect legal aid from PNP – Cerbo

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine National Police officers slapped with charges for the anomalous purchase of two overpriced refurbished helicopters, along with former first gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, cannot expect legal assistance from the PNP, its spokesman said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Senior Superintendent Generoso Cerbo said that police officers charged by the Office of the Ombudsman will have to look for their own lawyers, considering that the PNP was one of the complainants in the case.

“Yan ang magiging individual effort nila [dahil] kung babalikan natin, isa sa lumalabas na complainant dito ay PNP rin mismo,(That will be their individual effort because if we look back, PNP was among the complainants)” he said.

Among the 20 police officers, 13 of them still holds position in the PNP, while seven others, have retired, including former PNP chief Jesus Verzosa.

Arroyo and the PNP officials were charged Wednesday over the sale of two “second hand” Raven helicopters that were passed off as new items, allegedly bought from an American firm for the use of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her campaign in the 2004 presidential election.

Asked if the helicopters that are kept at the hangar would be used, Cerbo was not optimistic. “There are still legal issues to consider,” he said.

Also charged were Hilario de Vera, president of Manila Aerospace Trading Corp. (MAPTRA), former PNP logistics Director Luizo Ticman, former research division head Ronald Roderos, former PNP comptroller Romeo Hilomen, former PNP deputy chief for operations Jefferson Soriano, Director Leocadio Santiago Jr., Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde, Superintendent Ermilando Villafuerte, Superintendent Roman Loreto, Director George Piano, Senior Superintendent Luis Saligumba, Senior Superintendent Job Antonio, Senior Superintendent Edgar Paatan, Senior Superintendent Mansue Lukban, Chief Inspector Maria Josefina Recometa, Superintendent Claudio Gaspar Jr., Senior Superintendent Larry Balmaceda, Senior Police Officer 3 Ma. Linda Padojinog, PO3 Avensuel Dy, and Ruben Gongona of the PNP directorate for research and development.

Ubalde, he said, voluntarily left his position when the probe began.

He said the PNP would be ready to arrest Verzosa and the other police officers if the court would order them to do so, saying that this is not an option for them to do, but a responsibility.