Metro Briefs: July 30, 2019

Second most wanted man in eastern Metro arrested

MANILA, Philippines — The second most wanted man on the list of the Eastern Police District (EPD) has been arrested. Richard Mangaliag or “Putong,” who is accused of raping and maltreating his live-in partner’s four children, was arrested on Saturday in Mandaluyong City.

The 44-year-old suspect was caught as he was about to attend a birthday party on Banahaw Street in Barangay Highway Hills.

Members of the EPD’s District Special Operations Unit served him with four arrest warrants issued in 2016 by Judge Juliet Manalo-San Gaspar of the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court Branch 279 on charges of rape, acts of lasciviousness and violation of the antichild abuse law.

A report submitted to the EPD director, Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan, said that Mangaliag was accused of raping and molesting his partner’s three young girls and maltreating her son on separate occasions in 2016.

The girls were between 10 and 14 years old at that time. —Dexter Cabalza

Cop linked to drug trade falls in buy-bust operation

MANILA, Philippines — A patrolman tagged as a high value target for his alleged involvement in the drug trade has been arrested in a buy-bust operation in Valenzuela City.

Pat. Jun Acosta from the Northern Police District’s Intelligence Operation Unit and three other suspects were arrested for reportedly selling “shabu” (crystal meth) to an undercover agent from the Valenzuela City police’s antidrug unit on Saturday on McArthur Highway.

Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, National Capital Region Police Office director, scolded the police officer for ruining the image of lawmen.

He said that the 42-year-old Acosta had been tagged a high-value target by the police since 2017, but there was never sufficient evidence to arrest him.

It was Acosta’s former live-in partner, Rose Cruz, who told the police about his involvement in  drugs during her arrest in 2017.

Eleazar said that aside from criminal charges, Acosta would face administrative charges that could lead to his dismissal from service. —Nikka G. Valenzuela