Robredo to probe QCPD-CIDG row

MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo created yesterday an independent probe body to investigate a near-shootout between two Philippine National Police (PNP) units over the alleged kidnapping of a businesswoman convicted of seven counts of estafa worth P5.5 million.

Robredo said the investigation is intended to determine the alleged lapses committed by personnel of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Jose Napoleon Coronel of the CIDG went to Camp Karingal in Quezon City yesterday and met with QCPD officials led by district director Chief Superintendent Mario dela Vega.

Both camps, however, were mum on what transpired during the meeting.

Robredo directed the investigation panel to submit recommendations on corresponding disciplinary actions against any erring officer.

He said he also ordered Coronel and Dela Vega to “submit for investigation their men involved in the incident, including their reports and statements relative to it.”

He said the probe will be conducted by the PNP Office of Internal Security, led by Senior Superintendent Wally Pornillos, with Senior Inspectors Paul Cabug and Rey Villania as assistants.

What started standoff

The events that transpired on Friday stemmed from the assistance sought by Thomas Lim, who was the complainant in the estafa case filed against trader Marilyn Ong and Edna Alfuerte. He asked for the QCPD help to arrest the women, who were convicted last year.

QCPD personnel arrested Ong on May 18 in Muntinlupa City. Later that day, Alfuerte, lawyer Marie Espina and another lawyer went to the CIDG’s National Capital Region (NCR) office to report Ong’s alleged kidnapping.

Coronel said Alfuerte kept receiving text messages from Ong that her captors wanted P20 million and an open deed of sale for her Hyundai Gold Starex van, delivered to the Uncle Moose coffee shop near the Teacher’s Village in Quezon City, where Ong was taken instead of at Camp Karingal.

However, Lim said he received a text message from the QCPD immediately after Ong was arrested and noted that it was improbable that the QCPD would hold her for ransom since he was already informed that Ong was under police custody.

Coronel claimed he sent two teams to the coffee shop to arrest the “armed kidnappers” and rescue Ong, but it turned out that Ong’s captors were QCPD personnel, led by Senior Police Officer 2 Apolonio Basit.

The CIDG team arrested the QCPD personnel and seized their firearms, but were in turn outnumbered by 70 police officers led by QCPD homicide investigation chief Inspector Elmer Monsalve. This nearly resulted in a shootout until the QCPD personnel prevailed.

Robredo said the incident was brought to his attention by the wife of a Quezon City policeman, who complained that her husband’s firearm, seized by the CIDG, was not returned.

He said probers would check why the QCPD did not coordinate with the Muntinlupa police officers about the serving of the arrest warrant and for failing to bring Ong directly to Camp Karingal for booking.

Robredo also asked why the CIDG-NCR failed to check that Alfuerte, the walk-in complainant, was convicted in the same estafa case as Ong.

Both Ong – who is also allegedly facing mail fraud, money laundering and other criminal charges before a United States court – and Alfuerte have been placed under the custody of the QCPD’s criminal investigation and detection unit.