Pasay precinct chief sacked after ‘disappearing’ act

MANILA, Philippines — A precinct commander in Pasay was relieved from his post yesterday after he failed to explain his absence during a surprise inspection conducted by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar.

Chief Inspector Allan Estrada, whose precinct is located at the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex, was directed by Eleazar to report to him at the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa.

“He was not relieved because of his absence at the (precinct) but due to the circumstances leading to it,” Eleazar said in an interview.

The NCRPO chief said Estrada left unattended two .45 caliber pistols, a 9mm pistol, an M-16 Armalite rifle and several articles of clothing in his office.

He also turned off his cell phone when Eleazar and Senior Superintendent Noel Flores, Pasay City police chief, tried to call him.

Despite the heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Domeng, Eleazar inspected precincts within the jurisdiction of the Southern Police District to check whether police officers were at their respective posts.

When he reached Pasay Police Community Precinct 1, the seventh precinct he visited, at around 2:15 a.m., Eleazar said he found the front door locked from inside.

The rear door was open and when Eleazar went inside, Estrada was not around but the precint chief’s .45 caliber pistol was on his bed. A bag, slightly open, contained another .45 caliber pistol, a 9mm pistol and Estrada’s wallet.

An Armalite rifle was found beside Estrada’s bed.

Flores rushed to the precinct after learning that Eleazar was conducting an inspection.

Estrada, who is now on floating status at the SPD headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, appeared before Eleazar hours after the inspection.

He claimed he was near his office at the time of the NCRPO chief’s visit but was not in uniform.

Estrada said he panicked upon seeing the journalists who accompanied Eleazar and decided to go home so he and his family would not be humiliated on national television.

He accepted his penalty and expressed his willingness to cooperate in the investigation against him.   – With Ghio Ong