Munti cops sacked

The chief of police of Muntinlupa City was relieved for command responsibility while eight of his policemen were axed yesterday for their alleged involvement in kidnapping and extortion last Friday.

National Capital Regin Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar sacked Senior Supt. Dionisio Bartolome over the complaints of two persons against eight men assigned at the Muntinlupa police’s Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU).

Bartolome was placed on floating status at the NCRPO Support Group in Taguig City while possible charges against him are being studied.

Eleazar relieved Senior Inspector Mark Kevin Pesigan as head of DEU. Also taken out from their posts were SPO1 Psylo Joe Jimenez, P03 Romeo Par, P02 Farvy Dela Cruz, PO1 Jon- Jon Averion, SPO1 Edgardo Zervoulakos, PO3 Charlie Miranda and P03 Roderick Salvador.

He ordered the filing of kidnapping and extortion charges against the eight policemen, along with administrative cases filed at the National Police Commission.

The case stemmed from the anti-illegal drugs operation of Pesigan’s team against a supposed drug suspect identified as Glaiza Iglesia at around past 10:00 p.m. last July 12.

Police reports showed that the DEU men swooped down at Iglesia’s house along Buendia Street in barangay Tunasan and arrested the 33-year-old supposed drug suspect.

Aside from her, the DEU men also brought with them Iglesia’s 7-year-old son at the police station.

While inside the detention center, Pesigan’s team asked Iglesia to shell out P400,000 if she wanted them to discontinue the filing of drug charges against her.

The suspect agreed and was allowed by the police to contact her live-in partner identified as Abner Bumatay to look for P400,000.

Unable to raise the money, Bumatay went instead to the NCRPO to lodge a complaint before Eleazar against Pesigan’s group.

An entrapment operation was ordered to the Region Special Operation Unit.

The operation was carried out at around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, arresting Jimenez, Par, Dela Cruz and Averion after they received the marked money. The four other suspects were nabbed inside another office.