Five policemen allegedly involved in a robbery-extortion against a computer shop in Sampaloc, Manila on Monday surrendered to their superiors and were placed in the custody of the Manila Police District (MPD).
First to yield were Cpl. Jonmark Gonzales Dabucol, and Patrol officers Jeremiah Sesma Pascual and John Lester Reyes Pagar.
They surrendered to Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Gilbert Cruz at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
The two other suspects, SSgts. Ryann Tagle Paculan and Jan Erwin Santiago Isaac, turned themselves in later in the evening.
The suspects were presented to PNP chief, Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., before they were remanded to the MPD on Monday evening.
“As of this moment, they are currently under MPD restrictive custody while their case is undergoing investigation. They will remain here. They have also surrendered their firearms,” MPD director, Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, said in an interview.
The five suspects surfaced after Acorda ordered a manhunt against them, to be conducted by the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and Intelligence Group.
Pagar maintained however, that their operation was legitimate and they welcome any investigation.
“We also have evidence in our possession that proves our innocence. We voluntarily submit ourselves to our beloved organization because we are open to any kind of investigation that our organization requires of us,” he said in a TV interview.
Aside from facing administrative charges, the five cops are also facing criminal charges of robbery with intimidation.
According to the PNP, the five cops were caught in closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage as they forcibly entered a computer shop in Barangay 525 on the night of July 11, and introduced themselves as police personnel conducting an operation against illegal gambling.
The five allegedly accused 73-year-old Herminigildo dela Cruz the owner of the computer café, of being involved in an illegal gambling operations before they took the shop’s earnings from a drawer amounting to P44,000.
They also did not present any search warrant and were in plain clothes, according to the PNP.
The suspects allegedly demanded from the shop owner a weekly “protection money” amounting to P4,000 just to continue the café’s operation.
Police are also investigating an alias “Menay,” who allegedly acted as an accomplice of the suspects.