Poe: Check lifestyle of rogue cops

Senator Grace Poe. PHOTO FROM SEN. GRACE POE’S OFFICE

Sen. Grace Poe on Sunday urged Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa to have the 2,000 rogue policemen in his list subjected to a lifestyle check as he undertakes cleansing the ranks of the police.

Poe said Dela Rosa could seek the help of the National Bureau of Investigation to undertake the lifestyle check on these policemen and start with those he had earlier identified as “rogue” or cops he had suspected of committing wrongdoing but whose cases had been dismissed.

“We should not only look at their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth for this year but also previous years, as she noted the case of SP03 Ricky Sta. Isabel, one of the main suspects in the kidnap-slay of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo, who had a net worth of P14 million despite having a monthly pay of only P8,000.

She noted that at one point, Sta. Isabel’s net worth even soared to P20 million and went down to P14
million.

It was Poe who had asked Sta. Isabel about his income when the latter faced the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs which held an inquiry last week on Jee’s case and other “tokhang-for-ransom” cases.

Interviewed over dzBB, Poe said those doing the lifestyle checks should also look into whether these policemen paid the proper taxes given their high income.

On the request of Sta. Isabel’s wife for senators to listen to a taped conversation, Poe said the Anti-Wiretapping Law prohibits its playing and that it was not admissible as evidence in court.

“But I think in executive session, we can listen to it,” Poe said.