4 more EDSA ‘hulidap’ cops plead not guilty

MANILA, Philippines - Four more policemen implicated in the P1.2-million EDSA “hulidap” case in Mandaluyong City in September last year pleaded not guilty yesterday on all the charges against them.

Senior Inspector Oliver Villanueva, Senior Police Officer 1 Ramil Pachero and Police Officers 2 Ebonn Decadoria and Weavin Masa filed their plea with Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court Branch 213 Judge Carlos Valenzuela on the charges of car theft, kidnapping and robbery in band.

The four policemen appeared before Valenzuela clad in civilian clothes but in handcuffs. They recently surrendered to agents of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Their surrender brought to 10 the number of policemen in custody for arresting complainants Samanodin Abdulgafur and Camal Mama, who alleged that the policemen extorted P1.2 million from them.

The complainants were not present in yesterday’s hearing.

Valenzuela set bail hearings for all 10 policemen on Nov. 26 and Dec. 3.

Aside from the four policemen, those in jail are Chief Inspector Joseph de Vera, Senior Inspector Allan Emlano, Inspector Marco Polo Estrera, and PO2s Jerome Datinguinoo, Mark de Paz and Jonathan Rodriguez. They pleaded not guilty.