Slain ex-cop rogue, ‘troublemaker’: PRO 7 chief Sinas

EVEN before he was killed in a robbery, former Staff Sergeant Jobie Antipolo had been a “troublemaker” while in the service, an official said.

Antipolo was killed in the robbery of a head guard of a security agency in Deca Homes in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019.

According to Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Debold Sinas, Antipolo’s records had revealed that he was a delinquent police officer and had been involved in robbery before.

Antipolo started serving the Philippine National Police in 2006. But five years into the service, he had gone absent without official leave (Awol). His superiors then dropped him from the rolls of active police officers.

Upon monitoring, it was found out that he got involved in petty crimes.

Antipolo appealed to be allowed to return to service in 2013, and he was able to do so after he was meted with a 60-day suspension. However, the police officer went Awol again for the second time on March 19, 2018.

Records from the PRO 7 Intelligence Division showed that Antipolo had tried to return to service, a few months before the Tisa robbery incident happened.

“Accordingly, he did not have a good background. He was problematic.... From the first time he was dropped from the rolls, he was dismissed; he was no longer receiving a salary. He was already involved in petty crimes. He was put on hold but he had appealed and was allowed to return,” Sinas said.

Antipolo was supposed to be transferred to PRO 7’s Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit in 2018 while investigation on his alleged involvement in petty crimes was ongoing.

Following the robbery incident in Tisa, Sinas has directed all intelligence units to monitor police officers who have gone Awol.

Sinas said it might be possible that police officers who are no longer in the service, or may no longer be receiving their salaries, would resort to illegal activities, especially those who have not returned to work after testing positive for illegal drugs.

“If you are a police officer and have gone Awol because you tested positive for drugs, you will be included in our watch list. We will monitor your activities because most likely, there is a very high probability that you will engage in anomaly,” Sinas said.

In another development, Cebu City Police Office Director Gemma Vinluan said they have already filed charges for robbery against the suspects of the Tisa robbery on Friday, Aug. 16. From AYB of Superbalita Cebu / RTF