WPD station chief on the brink of losing post

After a series of robberies involving foreigners in his area, Superintendent Manolo Martinez, Manila police Station 5 chief, is on the brink of losing his job.

Martinez could have been administratively relieved from his post after Swiss tourist, David John Edman, 23, lost his credit card and P8,000 to three members of the "Ativan" gang last Thursday in Quiapo, Manila.

Although, Edman was befriended by the three suspects at SM Manila, which is under the jurisdiction of Station 5, he only got a stern warning from Metro Manila police chief Director Edgar Aglipay since the actual robbery occured in Quiapo. Aside from giving Martinez a last warning, Aglipay also ordered him to solve Edman’s case as soon as possible.

"He must see to it that the three suspects in Edman’s case will land in jail to serve as a warning to other criminals that we mean business in protecting foreigners in our country," said Aglipay in his directive to Martinez.

Edman was the third foreigner to be robbed in the jurisdiction of the Manila police Station 5. By virtue of an agreement among the 37 station commanders in Metro Manila, a station chief would be administratively relieved after three foreigners have been victimized in their area of responsibility, said Aglipay.

The case of Edman also shows that the killing of three suspected criminals by a vigilante group was not the answer to the rising cases of criminality in Manila’s tourist district.

But retired policemen noted that the three suspected criminals could have been summarily executed by active policemen to warn others not to mess with them. The pattern used in the killing of the victims was the same as that used by policemen in the late 70’s or early 80’s, the retired policemen told The STAR.

Aglipay also ordered Martinez to stop the killings and go after the vigilante group or active policemen and file charges against them in court.

Once Martinez fails in these twin tasks, Aglipay said "there must be something wrong with him," so he must be replaced. – Non Alquitran