4 more Makati cops sacked, face extort probe

Four more Makati City policemen were relieved of their posts pending an investigation into their possible involvement in a kidnapping-extortion case.

The relief of SPO1 Ernesto Pagao, PO2 Michael Garcia, PO2 Arijon Arid and PO1 Jomel Tuazon occurred days after four of their colleagues from the Makati police intelligence division were arrested in an entrapment operation.

PO2 Harley Garcera, PO2 Clarence Maynes, PO1 Tim Galzote and PO1 Jeffrey Cañete were earlier accused by a couple of abducting them from a car repair shop Monday night in Pasay.

The couple claimed that they had to give P100,000 to the policemen for their release, but they were later told to pay an additional P150,000 or their captors would kill their family.

After they were freed, the couple asked the police for help. An entrapment operation by the Philippine National Police Counter-Intelligence Task Force led to the arrest of Cañete, Galzote, Maynes and Garcera. Authorities said they were looking for four other suspects.

The National Capital Region Police Office chief, Director Oscar Albayalde, said the four other policemen—Pagao, Garcia, Arid and Tuazon—would be reporting to the station personnel holding unit while under investigation by the PNP Internal Affairs Service.

On Tuesday, Makati police chief, Senior Supt. Dionisio Bartolome, and intelligence unit head, Chief Insp. Oscar Pagulayan, were also relieved of their posts on the ground of command responsibility.

Senior Supt. Joel Orduña, Southern Police District deputy director, was appointed acting Makati police chief.