Pampanga cop accused of rape sacked

MANILA, Philippines — A policeman in Pampanga who allegedly raped a 26-year-old motorcycle rider in Mabalacat City on Friday has been relieved from his post.

Col. Robin Sarmiento, Pampanga police acting director, identified the policeman as S/Sgt. Robin Mangada of Angeles police station 4.

The victim was reportedly on her way to work when pulled over at a checkpoint along McArthur Highway at the boundary of Barangays Lakandula and Balibago.

She said Mangada took the key of her motorcycle when she failed to show her driver’s license and asked her to board his car and brought her to a motel, where the alleged rape occurred.

Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, Central Luzon police director, ordered summary dismissal proceedings against Mangada.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar ordered the Internal Affairs Service to expedite its investigation into the case.

Eleazar said the Central Luzon police should provide protection to the victim and her family.

Meanwhile, S/Sgt. June Angeles of the San Mateo police was arrested for alleged extortion in San Mateo, Rizal on Monday.

PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group director Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo Jr. said Angeles was apprehended in an entrapment in Barangay Gitnang Bayan after they received information that the policeman was extorting money from an inmate.

The inmate’s wife told probers Angeles asked P1,000 in exchange for her husband’s certificate of detention. – Emmanuel Tupas, Ed Amoroso