The chief of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Metro Manila denied he was sacked over allegations of corruption involving his men in a raid in Paranaque City.
In a statement, Police Col. Hansel Marantan said that contrary to reports, he voluntarily offered to be relieved of his position to dispel any doubts or insinuations that he might influence the investigation into his officers.
“As a law enforcement officer, I take responsibility for the men undermy command. When one’s professionalism and integrity are questioned, one has to voluntarily hand in his resignation,” he said. “This will also dispel doubts that the investigation will be influenced.”
Marantan said this move is in support of the government’s campaign to root out corruption among government officials and those in the police force.
Earlier reports said Marantan was relieved from his post due to a “questionable” raid conducted by CIDG-NCR in Manila.
The CIDG-NCR operatives allegedly extorted money from a group of Chinese nationals who were arrested in Paranaque.
CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. also denied reports that Marantan was dismissed.
“In fairness to Col. Hansel Marantan, I just received a courtesy resignation from him, being the regional chief of the NCR field unit.
Maybe so as not to influence the investigation we are doing regarding the robbery extortion activity,” Caramat said.
“The matter is now being investigated. Their relief is an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) so as not to have undue influence over the case,” he added.
Meanwhile, 11 new police officials have been named to new posts after the Philippine National Police gave its go-signal to the latest reshuffling of personnel.
On orders of PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., Central Visayas Police Regional Office Director Brig. Gen. Jerry Bearis was reassigned to the Aviation Security Group and would be exchanging posts with Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin.
Also covered by the directive were Maj. Gen. Oliver Enmodias who was relieved from the Area Police Command (APC) Northern Luzon (NL) and would now head the Directorate for Research and Development, while Brig. Gen. Mafelino Bazar from PRO Cordillera has been assigned to to APC-NL; and Brig. Gen. Alden Bacarra Delvo from APC-Eastern Mindanao has been moved to PRO 11 (Davao). (See full story online at manilastandard.net)
Also relocated to new posts were Brig. Gen. Joel Doria who was designated as PRO-Mimaropa chief. He replaced Brig. Gen. Sidney Hernia who was moved to the Anti-Cybercrime Group.
Brig. Gen. Limuel Obon was moved to PRO 5 (Bicol), replacing Brig. Gen. David Peredo Jr., who was reassigned to the PRO-Cordillera.
Brig. Gen. Benjamin Silo Jr. was appointed as the new head of the Civil Security Group while Brig. Gen. Andrew Diwayan Cayad was transferred to the Directorate for Operations.
Also on Friday, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers alleged that “ninja-cops” and their “ninja-informants” have been declaring just 30 percent of their drug seizures.
The rest, or 70 percent, he said are converted into cash through sales to drug traffickers.
In a television interview, Barbers said he was informed by some senior officials from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the PNP Drug Enforcement Group about the practice by rogue anti-drug agents to keep 70 percent of every drug haul as “savings” and later recycle them into the streets to make money.
The practice of keeping some seized items as “savings” is prevalent in law enforcement units since the “saved” items are later reported as seized from new operations when pressed for the police are pressed for more “accomplishments.”
However, some unscrupulous law enforcers in many instances “recycle” seized materials like drugs or firearms, Barbers said.
At a hearing conducted by the House committee on dangerous drugs chaired by Barbers, a long-time police informant said the recycling of drugs has been happening for the last 20 years, when he started working as an anti-drug “asset.”
The hearing was prompted by a disclosure by PDEA Director General Virgilio Moro Lazo that two of PDEA’s informants have offered him huge anti-drug “jobs” in exchange for a 30 percent reward of every drug seizure.
Lazo said he rejected the informants’ proposal and told the latter that he would only give monetary rewards that are allowed under PDEA policy.
Barbers said his panel intends to craft new laws or amendments to Republic Act 9165 to strengthen it further and plug the loopholes and flaws of the law to prevent or deter anti-drug law enforcers from carrying out drug recycling schemes.