‘Hulidap’ cop found dead with live-in partner

Police are now looking into the deaths of a Quezon city policeman, and his live-in partner, whose decomposing bodies were found in their home in Payatas last Thursday (Aug. 27).

The victims were identified as Police Officer 1 Emmanuel Tabora, a policeman assigned at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Public Safety Battalion in Camp Karingal in Quezon City; and Jocelyn Rodaje, 39.  They lived together in Upper Molave, Payatas B.

Reports reaching the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) showed that the bodies were discovered at 1:30 p.m. last Thursday, after a neighbor passing by the house smelled foul odor and peeked into the home’s window.

Senior Insp. Elmer Monsalve, the chief of the QCPD CIDU homicide section, said another neighbor testified to hearing two gunshots ringing out in the area two days prior, at around 1 a.m. When police
barged into the home, they discovered a loaded .40 Glock pistol near the feet of Tabora, and two fired cartridges.

Due to the bodies’ state of decomposition, the exact location of the gunshot wounds could no longer be determined, Monsalve said. The bodies are undergoing autopsy.

Tabora was one of those relieved from the Cubao police station in May, and facing criminal complaints, for being involved in an illegal detention and extortion case in San Juan city.

Tabora and accomplices PO1 Crispin Cartagenas and PO1 Israel Cerezo were arrested last May 5 after arresting 34-year-old vendor Rey Manlapaz on trumped up drugs charges in San Juan City.  Manlapaz was detained at the Arayat precinct in Cubao, and asked to shell out P30,000 for his release. Manlapaz’s brother, instead of submitting to the demands, reported the extortion to the Cubao police, who effected the arrest of their peers.

Complaints of unlawful arrest, arbitrary detention, robbery, attempted robbery, and slight physical injuries were lodged against the erring police. Jaymee T. Gamil/Philippine Daily Inquirer