‘Kotong’ cop, 15 others get ax

The policeman accused of extorting money from the son of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina was ordered dismissed from the service Wednesday for a similar offense he committed in 2009, this time involving the son of a retired military general.

With his name dropped from the police roster, SPO4 Jose de la Peña Jr. now faces the forfeiture of his retirement benefits worth P2 million.

Aside from De la Peña, 15 other policemen have been ordered axed from the service for various offenses. They were identified as Supt. Rogelio Rosales, a former Manila police station commander; Police Officers 1 Benjamin Gonzales, Adolfo Bautista Jr., Rommel Isidro, Nicoli Vigilia, Eric Babasa and Rustico Gabuco; Police Officers 2 Ferdinand Raquin, John Pierre Bautista and Repablo Genarao and SPO2 Federico Lictawa.

Also ordered dismissed were De la Pena’s coaccused in the 2009 extortion case—Police Officers 3 Rodolfo de Jesus and Carlos Bromeo and Police Officers 2 Crodel de Jose and Dionel Rosario.

Espina told reporters at Camp Crame that the dismissal orders against the rogue lawmen had been approved even before he became NCRPO chief on Sept. 7.

He added that De la Peña et al. were axed based on a complaint filed by former Army Gen. Celso Castro.

Espina said he decided to make an example of De la Peña to stress that he was serious in cleansing the NCRPO of scalawags.

A police investigation showed that on Nov. 7, 2009, Castro’s son was driving his car when he was flagged down by De la Peña and the four other policemen at a checkpoint in Barangay Mariana, Quezon City.

Espina said De la Peña checked the driver’s license of Castro’s son as he ordered his men to conduct an “extensive search” of the vehicle. Afterward, he ordered the general’s son to get into a police car while he drove the former’s car himself.

Following the incident, De la Peña and four other policemen were charged with two counts of grave misconduct and three counts of “serious irregularity in the performance of duty.” With Jaymee T. Gamil