Another MPD official sacked

The chief of Malate police station’s anti-illegal drugs (SAID) unit has been relieved from his post, while one of his operatives is now the subject of a pre-charge investigation following the death of a male detainee in the station’s jail.

Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales ordered the relief of SAID chief Inspector Rodel Borbe following the discovery of the body of Fernando Peywan, 28, hanging from the ceiling of the station’s detention center last Nov. 13.

Borbe was relieved a day after MPD homicide division division head Chief Inspector Alexander Yanquiling Jr. and Senior Police Officer 2 Benito Cabatbat were sacked over an alleged anomaly in the investigation of the killing of election official Alioden Dalaig Jr.

Police Officer 3 Rodolfo Enderina, who reportedly arrested Peywan on the night of Nov. 12 for concealing a knife, has also been ordered to undergo a pre-charge investigation for alleged infidelity in the custody of a detainee.

Borbe reportedly discovered Peywan’s body, already stiffened by rigor mortis, when he checked on the condition of the detainee. The victim was immediately rushed to the Ospital ng Maynila, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

SPO3 Steve Casimiro said the victim used a yard-long cable wire to hang himself from the steel bar of a detention cell at the second floor of the Malate police station.

In his sworn affidavit, Enderina said he arrested Peywan, who was holding a knife at the time, at around 10:30 p.m. on Adriatico street in Malate.

However, Casimiro said Peywan’s relatives told him that the suspect was actually arrested at around 4 p.m. of Nov. 12 on drug charges. They said Peywan contacted them and was asking for some money for him to post bail. They also said Peywan was a drug user and had been arrested by SAID police officers on many occasions but they always managed to bail him out.

Casimiro said he will investigate why the victim was detained alone in a second-floor cell instead of the usual detention cell on the first floor where other detainees are locked up. Rosales said he conducted an inspection of the Malate police station and noted that the second-floor cell is used as storage area where discarded materials of the police station are kept.

He also tasked Malate police station chief Superintendent Hilario Orallo to explain why his station is untidy and unkept and hinted that Orallo may be a candidate in an upcoming revamp of the MPD.

“There seems to be laxity on the part of the arresting team. Why did they place the victim in that cell, where he can get hold of things to hurt himself?” Casimiro said.

He said concerned station personnel could be held liable, whether the victim really committed suicide or was intentionally killed.