Eleazar assures removal of two cops over illegal sale of tocilizumab, extortion

PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar. Screengrab from Facebook / PNP livestream

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Wednesday assured the dismissal from service of two police officers over extortion and illegal sale of regulated drug tocilizumab.

The PNP boss made this remark as he ordered the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to expedite its investigations on Staff Sgt. Ariel Yalung and Staff Sgt. June Angeles, who both facing administrative and criminal complaints.

Yalung was arrested during an entrapment operation of the National Bureau of Investigation for selling tocilizumab, which doctors use along with a host of other medicines to manage or treat COVID-19. Angeles, on the other hand, was arrested by operatives of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group over extortion.

“Ngayon pa lang ay tinitiyak ko na matatanggal sa serbisyo ang dalawa sa aming kasamahan dahil sa kalokohang kinasangkutan nila,” Eleazar said in a statement.

(I am already assuring everyone at this point that two of our colleagues will be dismissed from service due to the foolishness they are involved in.)

Authorities said the entrapment operation against Yalung stemmed from a complaint that he was selling tocilizumab for P95,000. The suggested price for the drug is P25,000.

Angeles, meanwhile, was accused of demanding money from the spouse of a detainee in San Mateo, Rizal.

RELATED STORIES

PNP dismisses cop who extorted money from police applicants

PNP chief wants Masbate cops involved in extortion racket dismissed

KGA