Cops soliciting sex face probe

Five members of the Caloocan City Police, including a precinct commander, are now in danger of being sacked after being implicated in alleged solicitation of sex-for-hire girls in the city.

City police chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele said the policemen from Police Community Precinct (PCP) 6 along 10th Avenue, are now being investigated for their likely involvement in the alleged negotiation for sex with pick-up girls in Monumento while on duty using police vehicles.

In TV footage taken by a crew of RPN 9 on a "chance encounter" last Nov. 12 shortly before midnight and early morning the next day, two cops on board a police vehicle (SFG-929) were seen and heard dealing with a suspected prostitute in front of a burger joint in Monumento.

"Guilty or not, on the principle of command responsibility, the commander will be held responsible. Dikit-dikit na sila d’yan (They will all be in it [sacking] together), said Inspector Alberto David, chief of Special Investigation Division-Caloocan City.

Mantele identified the police officers, who were on duty at the time when the incident was captured on camera, as PCP 6 chief Inspector Erwin Emelo and his men, SPO3 Joseph Vergano, PO1s Romeo Ogalesco, Raymundo Sablaon, Jr., and Amadeo Tayag, Jr.

David said the five policemen were invited to shed light on the case yesterday afternoon.

He said they will give their statements which can decide the case. "If found guilty, they will be held administratively and even criminally liable and cause their eventual ouster from the service," David told The STAR.

In the video footage shown the other day at the Camanava press corps office to the police and reporters, police officers on board a patrol car stopped in front of the burger joint. In a clear, audible voice, the two asked a suspected prostitute, who gave her name as Karen, for her services. "Karen", who said she was a 15-year-old student from Malabon, peddled her services for P1,000 a session.

The policemen, who were inviting the girl to get into the car, haggled for her services and even asked if she was"good" (magaling).

The girl refused to go with the policemen and justified her steep price saying she was "new" in the business and is young. Investigation of the case againt the suspects is still ongoing.

Two of the suspects who arrived in time for their 2 p.m. meeting with investigators at the SIID yesterday, PO1s Ogalesco and Sablaon, refused to talk to The STAR.