The Philippine National Police has warned those coddling the seven policemen tagged in the abduction-robbery incident along Edsa in Mandaluyong in September last year that they may be charged for harboring fugitives.
“They will be held liable for harboring wanted persons and obstruction of justice if they would attempt to coddle these policemen who have arrest warrants against them,” PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Bartolome Tobias said on Monday.
Seven of 10 police suspects in the brazen heist have disappeared since the arrest warrants against them were issued last June 3.
Tracker teams composed of personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, National Capital Region Police Office and Quezon City Police Districts have been formed to go after the fugitive policemen.
Five officers from La Loma police station under restrictive custody who disappeared were SPO1 Ramil Hachero, PO1 Mark de Paz, PO2 Ebonn Decatoria, PO2 Jerome Datinguinoo, and PO2 Weavin Masa.
Senior Inspector Oliver Villanueva also disappeared after he surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
Meanwhile, former Inspector Marco Polo Estrera has not surfaced since the incident. Estrera was dismissed from service in 2005.
Of the 10 police suspects, only three – PO2 Jonathan Rodriguez, Chief Inspector Joseph de Vera and Senior Inspector Allan Emlano – are under police custody.
The custodian of five La Loma police officers, Chief Inspector Enrico Figueroa of the Quezon City Police District, had been relieved from his post.
Tobias said the PNP is investigating Figueroa’s possible collusion with the five policemen on restrictive custody.
“This could be a case of serious neglect, if there was any collusion, or serious irregularity and grave misconduct,” he added.