5 cops accused of robbery-extortion surrender, maintain innocence
FIVE Manila policemen who were accused of robbery-extortion surrendered on Monday evening, July 17, 2023, to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr. and maintained their innocence.
Corporal Jonmark Dabucol, Staff Sergeants Ryann Paculan and Jan Erwin Isaac, and Patrolmen Jeremiah Pascual and Jhon Lester Pagar who were members of the District Intelligence Division presented themselves to Acorda in Camp Crame.
In a statement, the policemen maintained that their operation in Manila against a suspected illegal gambling den in the guise of a computer shop on July 11 was legitimate.
They said they received information on July 7 about the illegal activities, particularly online casinos, in the establishment located in Barangay 525 Zone 52 in Sampaloc, Manila, prompting them to conduct a validation.
They said they have gathered surveillance videos that could support the operation through the help of a Regular Confidential Informant.
The Bureau of Permits of Manila also confirmed that the Brexicon Internet Café has no existing business permit that would allow them to operate in the city.
The operation was conducted when they confirmed that the internet connection of the café had been restored and that there were individuals playing online casinos.
Upon arrival in the establishment, they said one of the players greeted them with indication that they were aware that they were policemen, resulting in their supposed re-validation operation.
“Matapos iyon, tinawag ng isa sa dalawang boy ang may-ari na si Herminigildo Dela Cruz na agad na nagpakilala bilang kamag-anak ng isang mataas na opisyal (ng pulis). Inabot din kami ng ilang sandali ang aming pag-uusap upang makumbinsi siya na makapagbukas kami ng kahit isa sa mga computer o mainspeksyon ang mga computer ng mga taong kasalukuyang umuupa sa kanya ngunit sinasaad na wala kaming search warrant upang gawin ang mga bagay na iyon,” the policemen said.
(After that, one of the two boys called the owner, Herminigildo Dela Cruz, who immediately introduced himself as a relative of a high official (of the police). It also took us a few minutes to convince him that we could open at least one of the computers or inspect the computers of the people who are currently renting to him but stating that we do not have a search warrant to do those things.)
“Patuloy kaming nakiusap sa kanya na kahit makita man lang namin ang kanyang mga dokumento na nagpapahintulot sa kanya na magpatakbo ng negosyo sa Lungsod ng Maynila ngunit patuloy niyang sinasabing ‘kamag-anak nga ako ni General... alam nya baka makuryente kayo,’” they added.
(We kept begging him to at least allow us to see his documents that allow him to run a business in the City of Manila but he kept saying 'I am related to the General... he knows you might be reprimanded.’)
The policemen said Dela Cruz offered to pay P4,000 per week for the protection of his business, but they refused to accept.
They also denied allegations that they took cash from the computer shop, as well as the hard drive that contains the CCTV footage that captured the entire incident.
“Mas gugustuhin naming lumabas ang laman ng nasabing hard drive na naglalaman ng mga CCTV footages na kuha sa loob ng nasabing establisimento dahil ito ang magpapatunay nitong aming pahayag,” the policemen said in a statement.
(We would prefer that the contents of the said hard drive containing the CCTV footages taken inside the said establishment come out because this will prove our statement.)
The five policemen were transferred to the Manila Police District where they will be placed under restrictive custody while investigation is ongoing.
All 50 members of the Manila Police District Intelligence Operations Unit have been relieved due to the incident. (SunStar Philippines)