Five cops linked to shabu tiangge declared AWOL

Five police officers tagged as protectors of an alleged drug trafficker in Pasig City have been declared absent without leave (AWOL) by Metro Manila police chief Director Reynaldo Varilla for refusing orders for their transfer to other units and present themselves for investigation.

Varilla threatened they will face summary dismissal proceedings if they continue to defy an order for them to report to the National Capital Region Police Office.

"If they don’t want to be investigated, then they will be dismissed," he said. "If they don’t want to remain police officers, we have plenty who will replace them."

The five were among 21 policemen tagged as coddlers of a shabu tiangge in Pasig City allegedly run by Amin Imam Boratong and dismantled by the police in October.

A government witness, Samer Palao, said the 21 officers were on Boratong’s payroll. Most of the other accused policemen have already been transferred to other units to make them available for investigation.

Four of the five defiant officers carry high ranks. One is a senior superintendent (the equivalent of a colonel in the military), another is a chief inspector (major) and two are senior inspectors (captain). The fifth is a police officer 2.

Senior Superintendent Danilo Pelisco, head of the NCRPOs personnel division, said he was certain that the transfer orders — issued on Oct. 13 — were received.

"Once they fail to show up on the prescribed period, we can institute summary dismissal proceedings against them," Pelisco told The STAR.