Despite President Duterte’s approval of NCRPO Chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar’s rough handling of a rogue cop, the Metro Manila police chief apologized publicly for losing his cool on a policeman caught extorting P200,000 from an illegal drug suspect.
Gen. Eleazar, who is known to be strict and a disciplinarian officer, apologized after he was seen on live video practically manhandling PO2 Marlo Quibete, of Drugs Enforcement Unit of the Eastern Police District.
And who wouldn’t get furious when this “kotong” cop, still had the nerve to lie that no other cops in his unit were involved in the extortion try when his text messages proved otherwise?
Quibete, who demanded money in exchange for the release of Aris Ochoada, was arrested in an entrapment conducted by the NCRPO Special Operations Unit early Wednesday morning.
Ochoada claims he was framed so he sought the help of the NCRPO Chief.
I understand that General Eleazar, along with the Philippine National Police top brass headed by P/Director-General Oscar Albayalde, are working so hard to reform the PNP, and restore its good image.
The PNP must mean business in straightening up its ranks, so owing to command responsibility, EPD Chief Director Bernabe Balba along with 15 cops belonging to the EPD drugs unit, including its chief P/Maj. Arnold Paranom have been relieved from their posts.
Aside from being booted from the service, Paranom and his men will be charged with extortion in court.
It is indeed as frustrating for Gen. Eleazar and as it is on the part of the general public to encounter cases where policemen who swore to serve and protect turn out to be the criminal offenders.
People are likewise tired of hearing cases of crooked cops getting away with their crime so it was not at all surprising that viewers actually cheered at seeing the cop get a good dressing down from the general.
During the live report on my program Tutok Erwin Tulfo over Radyo Pilipinas, it hit 25 thousand views and 2,000 shares within a few minutes.
Many viewers said the kotong cop deserves more than what he got. I think so, too.