Brigadier General Warren de Leon, chief of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), said Major Marvin Aquino, chief of Acpo; Master Sergeant Romulo Meligrito; Staff Sergeants Nikko Dave Marquez and Mark Steven Sison; and Corporals Richard Gozum, Diosdado Villamor Jr. and Jaypee Mangilit were arrested on June 2, 2023.
A police civilian asset identified as Esmael Arviola was also arrested.
In a press conference on Monday, June 5, 2023, De Leon said the operation stemmed from a complaint filed by a relative of one of the recently arrested drug offenders who claimed that they were being asked to pay P30,000 in exchange for not filing a drug case against their arrested kin.
The alleged suspect was nabbed on May 28 but during the inspection conducted by IMEG on June 2, police were yet to file charges against her while she continues to be in detention.
Police are required to file charges against an arrested drug suspect not more than 48 hours.
De Leon said it was also found during their operation that 13 other persons were arbitrarily detained without any single complaint filed against them.
He said there was also no entry at the official police blotter and Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System of the station in relation to the arrest and other circumstances causing the continuous detention of the victims.
De Leon said they are also not discounting the possibility that the erring cops were “planting evidence” against the arrested suspects.
The arrested policemen were brought to IMEG Custodial Facility in Camp Crame in Quezon City and are now facing criminal and administrative charges.
De Leon said five of them have recently been suspended from duty due to administrative cases including neglect of duty.
Because of this incident, PNP Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. has ordered the conduct of inspection of all PNP detention facilities to ensure the protection of rights of the arrested individuals.
He issued a stern warning to police commanders to closely watch out and to not tolerate their erring personnel.
He said the chief of the directorial staff has issued an order, including the status of custodial facilities in their areas of jurisdiction, as a credential for promotion of police commanders.
“Let this be a reminder sa mga commander pag provincial director ka, city director ka dapat alam mo kung anong ginagawa ng mga tauhan mo lumabas ka sa opisina mo maginspect ka,” said Acorda.
(Let this be a reminder to the commanders that when you are provincial director, city director, you should know what your staff is doing, get out of your office and inspect.) (SunStar Philippines)