MANILA: Eight relieved Eastern Police District (EPD) officers may face dismissal after an administrative case was filed against them with the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) for allegedly robbing a Pasig City home.
A criminal complaint for robbery and violation of domicile has already been filed against the officers with the local prosecutor’s office, Pasig City police chief Colonel Hendrix Mangaldan previously confirmed.
The victims also filed an administrative complaint against the officers with the IAS, Police Inspector-General Attorney Brigido Dulay told reporters at Camp Crame on Dec 30.
“The case ranges from less grave misconduct to grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer. The cases here are heavy since the possible penalty in all of them is dismissal from the service,” Dulay said in Filipino.
The officers allegedly entered a home in Barangay Palatiw on Dec 26 under the guise of an anti-drug operation but reportedly failed to present a warrant, seizing 500,000 pesos (US$8,491) worth of assorted jewellery from the residents.
They have since been disarmed and relieved of their posts.
“We saw that their operation was botched since it lacked coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. It lacked papers since they did not show a warrant,” Mr Dulay explained in Filipino.
The IAS inspector-general did not name the implicated police officers, only saying the lowest-ranking officer was a patrolman and the highest-ranking officer was a police captain.
Dulay said the officers have already posted bail for the robbery and violation of domicile case before the Pasig City prosecutor.
Mangaldan earlier said that the EPD will replace all personnel involved in its Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), where the eight officers had been assigned.
“When we have a decision in this administrative case, we’ll also include a recommendation as to what can be done to address the incident… because there may be a need to reorganise,” Dulay said in Filipino.
Asked about the vetting for the impending replacement of the entire EPD DEU, the IAS inspector-general said in Filipino, “The placement of personnel is the commander’s prerogative. So, it is up to the district director and the regional director of the National Capital Region Police Office.” - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
