2 former police officers free on bail

MANILA, Philippines—Two former senior Philippine National Police (PNP) officers were released from detention on Monday after posting P230,000 bail each for the criminal charges they are facing over the alleged “ghost” repairs of police vehicles to the tune of P358.5 million.

Both since retired, Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla and Director Charlemagne Alejandrino stepped out of the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, before noon after completing the paperwork for their temporary freedom.

Along with several other former senior PNP officers, Varilla and Alejandrino spent more than a year behind bars after the Sandiganbayan antigraft court ordered their arrest in August 2013 following their indictment for graft and malversation through falsification of public documents.

The two declined to speak to the media on Tuesday.

The court granted Varilla and Alejandrino’s petitions for bail after prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman failed to present evidence strong enough to warrant their detention.

It said the role of the two was “limited to their signatures contained in the [PNP] bids and awards committee resolution which has not been admitted by this court as evidence.”