23 Batangas cops face raps

MANILA, Philippines - Twenty-three officers of the Batangas police are facing administrative charges for the killing of a former aide of an alleged gambling kingpin of Southern Tagalog and the Bicol region.

Director Alexander Roldan, Internal Affairs Service (IAS) chief, said the charges stemmed from the unlawful arrest of Fernando Morales Jr., alias Pandoy, in San Juan, Batangas last Jan. 14.

Roldan has requested Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima to place the 23 police officers in restrictive custody.

He said the officers committed serious irregularities in the performance of duties when they tried to arrest Morales, an aide of alleged jueteng lord Vic Siman.

Siman was killed along with 12 men in the controversial shootout in Atimonan, Quezon, barely a week before Morales was slain.

Morales was shot dead after he reportedly tried to shoot it out with a group of policemen who knocked on his door past 1 a.m. to serve an arrest warrant for illegal possession of firearms.

“The PNP personnel used excessive force and violence in arresting the victim, who was subjected to greater restraint than what is necessary,” the IAS memorandum stated.

The 23 officers were Superintendent Raul Tacaca; Chief Inspectors Cristito Acohon; Rodolfo Ama; Inspector Kent Jerek Capadosa; SPO4 Arturo Patulot; SPO2 Edgardo Ilagan; SPOs1 Edilberto Eje; Erwin Cetron; Rodrigo Arguelles; Gener Pineda; POs3 Danilo Piol; Allan Natanauan; Luis Alexander Capacia; Jonathan Cansanay; Mark Christopher Aala; Florencio Austria; Christian Caguimbal; Ruel Dimaano and Marlon Aguado; POs2 Reynold Ramirez; Bernie Alday; Herbert Rellora and PO1 Michael de Castro.

Roldan said the IAS recommended the filing of separate administrative charges against Chief Superintendent Abner Dimabuyu and Senior Superintendent Rosauro Acio, but they have to wait for presidential clearance, owing to the officers’ ranks.

Acio and Dimabuyu were indicted for serious irregularities for failing to supervise the operation and to “take corrective action by way of warning, advise, admonition, suggestion or disciplinary action to subordinates,” the IAS noted.

Although the arresting team managed to restrain Morales, the IAS prosecution division said they failed to inform him of his rights under the Miranda Doctrine.