FIVE Pampanga police officers have been removed from their posts over their alleged involvement in a robbery incident in Porac town.
In an interview with reporters, Central Luzon Police Regional Office Director Brigadier General Rogelio Peñones said he has ordered the creation of a special investigation task group to conduct a probe against five policemen assigned to the Angeles City Police Office.
He said based on initial information, on the evening of November 25, four masked individuals barged into the house of the victim, a contractor, and took P14 million in cash.
Several days later, Peñones said they received information on the involvement of the five policemen — a police major, two staff sergeants, and two corporals — in the incident.
“Hindi ito operation. Even ‘yung pre-operations, wala sila. Talagang magnakaw lang talaga. And tinitignan din natin na baka may ibang involvement din ng sibilyan,” he said.
(This wasn’t an operation. Even the pre-operations, they weren’t part of it. They really just intended to steal. And we’re also looking into the possibility that civilians may have been involved.)
In a statement, PNP acting chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. vowed to resolve the matter at the soonest possible time.
“If the investigation result would find them liable, I assure our kababayan that all of them would not only be dismissed from the service, they would also go straight to jail,” he said.
Nartatez said the PNP does not tolerate or condone any act of wrongdoing, especially under his watch.
Earlier, Nartatez also reported the conduct of an investigation against at least six personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for stealing P13 million in cash evidence seized during a raid last year.
He said he will not allow a small number of erring policemen to drag down the entire police organization, emphasizing that almost all members of the Philippine National Police remain focused on their job and maintain a good moral compass.
“Let this serve as a warning to the few remaining bad eggs that the entire police force will come after you once you compromise the integrity and discipline of the PNP,” he said. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)