Cop in slay of anticrime crusader facing drug raps

Zenaida Luz

SAN PEDRO CITY—One of two police officers tagged in the murder of an anticrime crusader in Oriental Mindoro province is facing a complaint over a 2015 shootout in Calapan City that left two illegal drug suspects and a policeman dead.

Senior Insp. Magdalino Pimentel Jr. is facing a case of grave misconduct and serious irregularity in the performance of duty, said Supt. Rolando Vasquez, chief investigator of the police’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region.

Pimentel and Insp. Markson Almeranez, who was relieved as police chief of Socorro town, are the main suspects in the murder of Zenaida Luz, regional head of the Citizens Crime Watch, on Oct. 9. Reports said the policemen, who were aboard a motorcycle, were not in their uniforms and were wearing ski masks and a wig during the attack.
Records from the IAS showed Pimentel, former deputy chief of the Calapan City police intelligence unit, led a team of operatives to carry out a buy-bust operation in Barangay Suqui on Sept. 11, 2015.

During the operation, a shootout ensued and resulted in the death of drug suspects Marlon Manalaysay, a resident of Naujan town, and Maximo de Gala of Batangas City in Batangas province. Also killed was SPO1 Francis Noel Abutar, while PO1 Philip Digno was wounded.

“There were allegations of abuse and excessive force [during the operation],” said a source from the police, who asked not to be named for lack of authority to discuss the case.

The source said IAS is coming out with a resolution on the case this month.

De Gala’s family also filed a separate criminal case relating to the drug bust against Pimentel in the Office of the Ombudsman.

The IAS also investigated two buy-bust operations involving Almeranez in Socorro town in July 2016 that left two suspects dead.

“But [the IAS] already ruled that these were legitimate operations and found no probable cause [to charge Almeranez,” the source added.

Pimentel and Almeranez were graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy.

In an earlier telephone interview, Senior Supt. Christopher Birung, Oriental Mindoro police director, described the two officers as “among the best operators” of the Mimaropa police force.

“They led most of the successful operations, [including those against] illegal drugs,” he said.

Insp. Ruel Magtibay, Almeranez’s deputy in Socorro, said they were also shocked by their commander’s involvement in Luz’s death.

Magtibay said he never heard of reports Almeranez getting involved in any shady activity.

“In fact, we (Socorro police) were the top [province-wide, in terms of the number of] arrests made in relation to illegal drugs [since the Duterte administration took over],” he said.