Police Major General Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), ordered the relief of all the 15 personnel of the Easter Police District Drug Enforcement Unit (EPD-DEU)for extorting money from a suspected drug pusher whom they arrested in a bust in Marikina City.
Eleazar’s move came following the arrest of Police Corporal Marlo Quibete who, along with some of his companions at the EPD-DEU, even tried to double-cross their commanding officer, Police Major Allan Miparanum.
Miparanum appeared to have knowledge of the extortion racket and even wanted to partake of the loot, according Eleazar.
Eleazar said the operation that resulted in the arrest of Quibete stemmed from the complaint of the live-in partner of a certain Aries Ochoada who was earlier arrested in a drug-bust on Monday in Marikina City.
Following the arrest, Eleazar said the group of Quibete demanded P60,000 from the victim in exchange for the dropping of the charges, meaning they would not file a case as if there was no drug bust that occurred.
“These erring policemen even forced the victims to sign a deed of sale for the motorcycle owned by the drug suspect they arrested,” said Eleazar.
Not yet contented, he said the group of Quibete still demanded P20,000 as final payment for the release of Ochoada.
Eleazar said he learned of the extortion racket of the erring cops after the live-in partner of Ochoada sought his assistance, claiming that a group of policemen was extorting money from them.
“I immediately ordered my Regional Special Operations Unit to work in this case and this resulted to his arrest,” said Eleazar.
Quibete was collared during an entrapment operation at around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Barangay Santolan in Pasig City.
FURIOUS
An irate Eleazar angrily confronted Quibete as he stressed that the latter was among the reasons why the police organization is being placed in bad light especially on the issue of war on drugs.
“There are indeed erring policemen who have been using the war on drugs to earn money. But there are just a few and the good thing here is we were able to arrest them,” said Eleazar.
It was Eleazar who personally dragged Quibete inside a police detention cell of Marikina City out of anger and frustration.
But it did not end there.
TEXT MESSAGES
When police investigators were checking on the cellular phone of Quibete, they were surprised to find out that he was not indeed acting alone and their immediate supervisor appear to have knowledge of the extortion racket.
“Anong balita Marlo? Nakuha mo na yung kulang sa babae? Tawag ka,” a text message that supposedly coming from Police Major Miparanum who appeared to be inquiring on the development of the remaining P20,000 balance.
It was learned that the cops initially demanded P200,000 but it was reduced to P80,000 and the motorcycle.
Based on the text massage, Miparanum even instructed Quibete not to negotiate with the victims, to which the latter responded that he would not.
Quibete’s exchange of text message from a certain Escorial revealed that Miparanum was allegedly instructing his men on how to get the money.
In the text message, Quibete asked Escorial to accompany him in getting the money, but the latter responded that his instruction from CO (Commanding Officer who appears to be Miparanum) was not to get it.
Escorial even joked that Quibete might have already obtained a lot of things from the live-in partner of Ochoadas identified as a certain Eva Cabansag. Quibete complained that Escorial was not answering his phone.
DOUBLE-CROSS
Another set of text message exchanges also disclosed the apparent attempt of Quibete and a certain PO3 (Police Staff Sergeant) Nirvar to dupe Miparanum about a necklace they got from Cabansag.
“Buddy, ung kwintas nyan ah. Hati tau ah sanla n nten bukas yan selyohan u yn n walan sya kwintas,” a text message from a certain PO3 Nirvar read.
“Buddy, panalong panalo ka. Picture na lang jan 30K un kwintas nakausap ko un babae. Di ko nga cnabe kay Sir,” he added.
Another set of text message exchange between Quibete and a certain PO3 (Police Staff Sergeant) Roque, disclosed what appears to be another attempt to hide some of the loot from him.
Roque appears to be asking for a picture that the woman (supposedly Cabansag) was accompanied to her home after the supposed payoff.
“Boss nega, hindi tumupad usapan ung babae,” Quibete said in a text message.
“Kaw pa. wag ako iba na lang hehehe,” Roque replied.
RELIEVED
As a result, Eleazar immediately ordered the relief of the entire personnel of the EPD-DEU led by Miparanum.
Aside from Miparanum, sacked were Police Senior Master Sergeants (SPO2) Alex Recio; Police Master Sergeant (SPO1) Ryan Escorial; Police Staff Sergeants (PO3) Arnel Parado, Rommel Moises, Dennis Singuillo, Frederick Nervar, Jr; Police Corporals (PO2) Marlo Quibete, Arnel Parado; Patrolman Reynold Orillo, Charles Anthony Quinto, John Patrick de Guzman, Arlon Hernandez; Patrolwoman Maricris Doong and Marissa April Piga.
“They are all relieved effective today (Wednesday),” said Eleazar.
The official said they tried to have all the other policemen of the EPD-DEU to report to him but all of them were not answering a call from their district director.
“Maybe they already knew that Quibete was arrested and they are now afraid to come out,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar also appealed to citizens to help them in their internal cleansing, saying the group would have not been busted had it not for the complaint of Cabansag.
“I appreciate that they trusted us and in exchange, we did not betray their trust. So I appeal to our kababayan to help us in our internal cleansing,” said Eleazar.
“We will not succeed in our effort to remove all the bad eggs in the organization if our kababayan will not help us. The arrest of Quibete and the relief of the entire EPD-DEU unit is a proof of what we could achieve if the police and the people would join together in our internal cleansing effort,” he added.
Eleazar said criminal and administrative charges will be filed against those involved, adding that he would personally monitor the case against Quibete and all those involved to ensure that they would be dismissed from the service. (Aaron Recuenco)