Ombudsman wants 30 cops sacked, suspended

The Office of the Ombudsman has slapped administrative sanctions such as dismissal from service and preventive suspension against 30 police officers for various offenses. 

Among those ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman was Chief Superintendent Manuel Cabigon of the Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame.

Cabigon was charged with grave misconduct after he allegedly received P600,000 from the owner of a security agency to guarantee the award of a contract with the National Mental Hospital in Mandaluyong City.

The contract, however, did not materialize, and Cabigon issued three checks – all of which bounced – to return the P600,000 to the security agency owner.

Police Officer 2 Arcadio Balaba of the Bacolod City Police Office, meanwhile, was ordered dismissed for grave misconduct after a woman filed a rape case against him.

According to the complainant, the policeman raped her twice in 2005, which Balaba admitted. He promised to marry the victim but disappeared when the wedding date had been set.

The Ombudsman also ordered the dismissal of Senior Inspector Claro Benatiro and PO2 Antonio Aguisanda of PNP-Cebu for grave misconduct after they were caught receiving P70,000 in exchange for freeing and downgrading the charges against the complainants, who were earlier arrested for alleged drug pushing.

As for SPO3 Emilio Villacrusis, SPO2 Rodolfo Indonto, and SPO1 Leonardo Tomogsoc of the Lanao de Norte Provincial Police Office, they were dismissed for dishonesty after they were found to have forged the signature of Provincial Director Superintendent Linog Bagul on the supply certifications of their clearances. 

Randy Apolinar of the PNP-Mandaue City Traffic Section, meanwhile, was dismissed for grave misconduct for demanding P2,000 from a complainant so the latter’s vehicle would not be towed after violating traffic rules.

Among those suspended was PO3 Marcelino Mangila Jr.of Olongapo City Police Office after he was found to have stolen the pawn ticket of a bracelet, owned by a person he arrested, and redeemed the jewelry from a pawnshop.

Inspector Nasruddin Daud Tayuan of the PNP-Special Action Force was also meted a three-month suspension after he poked his gun twice at his wife.

Also placed under preventive suspension were Superintendent Roade Tombaga of Sta. Cruz, Zambales in connection with a falsification case filed against him by his wife; Superintendent Sales Zaragosa, head of the 701st Maritime Police Station in Mandaue City, for ordering the release in 2004 of 360 bags of Vietnamese rice with “recycled documents” causing the government to lose P6,000 in duties.

SPO3 Rogelio Madali of Romblon Municipal Police Station was ordered suspended for apprehending a motorist while allowing others to use their vehicles despite non-compliance with Land Transportation Office rules and regulations; while SPO3 Leonardo Loyola, PO2 Dennis Patambang, and PO1 Primitivo Cañete, of the PNP Silang Municipal Office, Cavite were suspended for warrantless arrests.

Senior Inspector Clarence Dongail, Senior Inspector Jimmy Fortaleza, Inspector Bonifer Gotas, PO3 George Bejemino, PO2 Ruel Villacanas, all of the Bacolod City Police Office, were suspended for the illegal arrest of a person in 2003; SPO1 Romulo Sasing of Cebu for the escape of a prisoner; and SPO2 Abel Orio of Northern Samar and PO3 Rovillo Librado of Mandaue for beating up a complainant.

As for PO2 Christopher Anos, PO2 James Paul Santiago, PO1 Reynaldo Candelaria, and SPO1 Jose Castelo, all of Marikina City, they were suspended for “committing excesses on the complainant… during a buy-bust operation in 2005.”

PO3 Rene Sulamin of Davao City was suspended for beating up the complainant in 2005; SPO2 Rustico Villanueva of Butuan City for his failure to issue a receipt after he impounded trucks containing logs owned by the complainant in 2004; and PO2 Porferio Llono, of the Provincial Police Office in Ipil, Zamboanga, Sibugay, for shooting the complainant.