THE police officer who led a "highly irregular" anti-illegal drugs operation in Antipolo City in May 2019 has been dismissed.
Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Archie Gamboa said on Monday, November 4, that he has signed the order dismissing Lieutenant Joven de Guzman for grave misconduct.
De Guzman was also among the 13 policemen who were accused of being "ninja cops", or policemen who recycle and sell illegal drugs seized during their operations.
“I have ordered the dismissal from Police service of Police Lieutenant Joven De Guzman of Antipolo City Police Station who led a team of seven PNP personnel that figured in a highly irregular activity in Antipolo City early this year and were recommended for dismissal by the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) as a consequence of their actions,” Gamboa said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
De Guzman was initially suspended for 59 days, but Gamboa ordered a review of his case. The IAS also said it had recommended his dismissal.
De Guzman and his team earlier claimed that they conducted a drug bust which resulted in the capture of a drug personality.
However, the arrested person belied the police’s claim. Investigation later showed that there was no drug bust and the suspect was intercepted at a checkpoint.
The suspect, however, sped off instead of stopping at the checkpoint prompting the police to give chase.
The suspect claimed that the police who had followed him looted his home and planted pieces of evidence against him.
Three other policemen identified as Police Master Sergeants Donal Roque and Rommel Vital, and Corporal Romeo Encarnacion Guerrero Jr. were dismissed earlier over the same operation.
All the four dismissed policemen were among the 13 Pampanga cops involved in the alleged recycling of more than 160 kilos of shabu that were seized in a raid in 2013.
Meanwhile, Gamboa said he has also ordered the launch of summary dismissal proceedings against three policemen who were caught selling drugs in Parang, Maguindanao last week.
They were identified as Police Executive Master Sergent Monger Nasar Aradias, deputy chief of police of Marantao town, 47; Police Staff Sergeant Fahmil Bangon Como, 39; and, Patrolman Sandali Magundacan Manalao, 35.
"I would like to emphasize that the PNP Internal Cleansing that we are implementing will be swift, decisive and uncompromising especially against personnel involved in drugs," said Gamboa.
The three cops were arrested after selling a sachet of shabu to a poseur buyer.
The chief of police of Marantao was earlier relieved over command responsibility. (SunStar Philippines)