Cop charged for robbing PCG officer

A Manila Police District (MPD) policeman was criminally charged yesterday before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) for allegedly robbing an officer of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) of cash and valuables six months ago.

Assistant City Prosecutor Nestor Gonzales filed charges of robbery against Police Officer 2 Jimmy Castelo, who is assigned with the District Mobile Police Unit of the MPD, and set bail at P100,000 since Castelo reportedly failed to appear during the preliminary investigation of the case despite prior notice.

The charges against Castelo stemmed from a complaint filed by Commodore Edmund Tan.

Tan said that at dawn last April 5, he was inside his car, which was parked in front of a drugstore on Mabini Street in Ermita, when Castelo tapped on the window of the vehicle and censured him for having a heavily-tinted windshield. 

He said Castelo ordered him to get out of the vehicle, then frisked him and searched his car. When he returned to his car and checked his belongings, he discovered his cellular phone and P48,000 were missing.       — Sandy Araneta