Police academy grads sanction fellow alumni

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association has sanctioned six of its members, including two police officers who tried to dissuade others from joining a sympathy march for the 44 slain Special Action Force commandos last March.

The alumni were charged with committing inimical, detrimental and prejudicial acts.

Senior Supt. Jerome Baxinela of PNPA Class 1984 received a three-year suspension, while Senior Supt. Bernardo Borrinaga of Class 1989 was suspended for one year.

Baxinela is the Camp Crame chapter president, while Borrinaga is chapter president of the National Capital Region Police Office Regional Headquarters Support Group.

Tomas Rentoy III, PNPA board chair, said members who received one- or three-year or indefinite suspensions also lost their benefits and privileges.

“The board unanimously approved the immediate implementation of its decisions,” Rentoy said.

Text message

Baxinela and Borrinaga’s case stemmed from the sympathy march for the 44 SAF troopers slain on Jan. 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) rebels.

Baxinela was one of the planners of the March 8 activity as a PNPAAA trustee and was designated chair of the security committee.

But two days before the activity, Baxinela circulated a text message urging chapter members in Camp Crame not to attend the sympathy march.

Rentoy said that “it was an act of disobeying, opposing and countermanding the implementation of the PNPAAA board’s lawful instructions.”

Similarly, Borrinaga circulated a text message to members at the NCRPO saying the sympathy march had been canceled because there were groups that wanted to exploit the activity.

The PNPAAA said these fears turned out to be untrue and baseless since the sympathy march was peaceful and went without a hitch.

Rentoy said Baxinela will not be given retirement honors when he retires from the PNP this year.

Edsa case

Meanwhile, also meted out indefinite suspensions were Senior Inspectors Joseph de Vera and Oliver Villanueva, and dismissed Insp. Marco Polo Estrera, all of PNPA Class 2001.

The three were with the Quezon City Police District and were tagged in the P2-million robbery extortion case along Edsa in Mandaluyong City in September 2014.

The PNPAAA said the three were given enough time to submit their explanations to the board but failed to do so.

Also meted out an indefinite suspension was Senior Insp. Erwin Emelo of PNPA Class 1988, the former chief of the Southern Police District’s special operations unit.

He was accused of raping a guest relations officer of Universe Entertainment and KTV Bar inside his office in October last year. The woman had been arrested earlier.

In 2006, Emelo was demoted from chief inspector to the next lower rank for grave misconduct in a case filed by a Caloocan City businesswoman. He was also linked to “sex for hire” women in Caloocan City dating back to 2002.–Julie M. Aurelio