Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina PHOTO/RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines—Three Pasay City policemen were disarmed and subjected to dismissal proceedings after being accused of protecting robbers in the city, a National Capital Region Police Office official said Thursday.
Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, NCRPO director, identified the erring officers as Police Officer 2 Teodoro Morales, PO2 Ralph Boco, and PO1 Marte Ray Quezon, who were accused by complainant Nerissa Guirao of being “protectors” of criminals.
Guriao said she was withdrawing P20,000 from an ATM machine along Macariban in Pasay around 8:30 p.m. on September 24 when an armed man and two accomplices approached her, and at gunpoint took her P20,000.00 cash, along with her wallet containing P5,000 and several cards.
Guriao sought the assistance of the three officers who were patrolling along the area in a police car driven by Morales. The officers asked Guriao to board the patrol car and they searched for the suspects.
“Just a few blocks away, one of the suspects positively identified by Guirao approached the patrol car and handed over a gold necklace and a few cash to PO2 Morales,” NCRPO said.
Guriao told the officers that it was one of the suspects who robbed her, but the policemen allegedly replied that she might just have just taken the person for someone else.
“So instead of chasing the suspect, they let the robber escaped,” NCRPO said.
Guirao went to the Maricaban Police Station to report the incident and, again, saw the three suspects with PO2 Morales, PO2 Boco, PO2 Quezon and other police officers.
To her dismay, she did not pursue her complaint for the robbery incident, but instead filed criminal, civil and administrative charges against the three policemen.
“The NCRPO is condemning this kind of activity. I have ordered them disarmed and suspended immediately. Appropriate charges will be filed against these erring policemen,” Espina said.