Relieved QC cop denies charges

The chief of the homicide section of the Central Police District (CPD), who, with another ranking CPD official and six of their men, was ordered relieved by Metro Manila police chief Director Edgar Aglipay, denied yesterday the harassment and extortion charges made by a Filipino-Chinese businessman they had arrested for estafa.

Senior Inspector Rudy Jaraza, chief of the homicide section, said David So’s arrest was a "legitimate arrest with legal and valid warrants."

Also ordered relieved by Aglipay were Superintendent Raul Medina, Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) chief, Senior Police Officer 3 Celso Jerezano, SPO1 Mangaong, SPO1 Placide, PO2 Rolly Azurin, PO1 Patinio, and PO1 Fonsico.

Jaraza said CPD head, Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Tor was set to meet with Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Leandro Mendoza yesterday to explain the embattled law enforcers’ side. The STAR tried but failed to reach Tor for comment.

Jaraza added that So has simply used the media to "harass" the policemen who arrested him. So has yet to file formal charges against the lawmen in the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Jaraza said there were four warrants issued for So’s arrest by RTCs in Pasig, Makati, and Quezon City for estafa and violation of Batasang Pambansa 22 or the Anti-Bouncing Checks Law involving millions of pesos.

One of the judges, Sixto Marella Jr., of the Makati RTC Branch 138 issued an Alias Warrant for So with no bail recommended. Police had since been hot on the businessman’s trail but he earlier managed to elude arrest.

So, 56, was finally arrested last Dec. 21 at 2 a.m. by CPD operatives led by SPO3 Jerezano at the Manila Bay KTV bar along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City. Police records showed that So, of 26 P. Halili St., Caloocan City, was brought to the CPD headquarters in Sikatuna Village in Quezon City at around 2:50 a.m.

Jaraza said the operation was carried out by the homicide group, which was the alert team for that night, in coordination with the Pasay City police. He stressed that the fact that So was immediately brought to the police station "would only prove that the arresting officers could not have possibly extorted money from him."

Jaraza also said that the medical staff at St. Luke’s Hospital could attest that the policemen treated So well, despite the policemen’s misgivings about the businessman’s claims of chest pains.

So had claimed that the arresting officers had bodily dragged him out of the club and his pleas to be brought to a hospital after he had difficulty breathing were initially ignored by the arresting team of policemen.

Jaraza, Medina, and their men were ordered investigated by Aglipay after the office of Interior Secretary Jose Lina forwarded a complaint filed by So’s lawyer Eladio Ilao. – Nikko Dizon