Cop sacked for coddling abusive men

For allegedly coddling his brother and three other policemen who "terrorized" Sunday a Makati City hospital, a police official from the Southern Police District (SPD) was ordered relieved from his post yesterday by an irate Metro Manila police director Chief Superintendent Edgar Aglipay.

Aglipay also directed SPD director Senior Superintendent Manuel Cabigon to reassign outside Metro Manila and file summary dismissal proceedings against Superintendent Piang Adam, who is on a floating status at the SPD.

Aglipay blew his top after learning that Adam took into custody the four policemen who allegedly barged Sunday into the Ospital ng Makati apparently to "rescue" a suspected drug pusher identified as Datu Ed Laguiab.

The drug suspect was earlier wounded in a shootout with Makati City policemen during an anti-drug operation in Maharlika Village, Taguig.

The old practice by ranking police officials of taking into custody their subordinates involved in various crimes has long been discarded by the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership. At present, policemen involved in grave offenses have no other way but to defend themselves in court.

But Adam apparently forgot the PNP directive when he took into custody his brother, PO1 Sukarno Adam, detailed at the NCRPO headquarters in Bicutan, Taguig and three other policemen, PO2 Mastura Bagundang, 29 and PO1 Guimson Matamara, 26, both detailed with the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice and PO1 Arlene Ochoa 29, of the Nothern Police District (NPD).

Aglipay ordered Cabigon to also include Adam in the obstruction of justice charges to be filed against the four policemen. A separate illegal possession of firearms charges will be filed against them.

"We don't need an officer like him in the police service. He will not be an asset in my command because he was described by reports reaching my office as lazy anyway," said Aglipay referring to Adam.

Armed with caliber 9mm pistols and an M16 Armalite rifle, the four policemen almost engaged responding Makati City policemen in a shootout.

Aglipay said the four policemen were released after Adam interceded in their behalf.