POGO raid: NCRPO chief denies extortion charge

3 cops axed for tampering with CCTV

MANILA, Philippines — National Capital Region Police Office director Maj. Gen. Sidney Hernia yesterday refuted allegations of extortion hurled against him and 14 NCRPO personnel following the raid on an alleged scam hub in Manila.

Hernia described the accusation as “absurd and unfounded.”

He denied any wrongdoing by NCRPO officers in connection with the police operation.

“I urge the accusers to substantiate their allegations in the proper forum,” Hernia said. “The NCRPO welcomes any investigation into the incident to prove the regularity and legality of our actions.”

Hernia said the NCRPO is prepared to face the allegations before the proper venue.

“I am confident that the investigation will reveal that all procedures followed were lawful and proper. The NCRPO remains steadfast in its mission to combat crime and protect the public from fraudulent activities. We stand ready to clear our names and reinforce our dedication to integrity and service,” he said.

The extortion allegation stemmed from a raid conducted by personnel of the NCRPO and police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) on the 23rd floor of Century Peak Tower for alleged involvement in Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) online fraud and other illegal activities.

Four Chinese nationals who were arrested during the raid turned to the National Police Commission for help, saying they were unlawfully detained.

They accused the NCRPO officers of attempting to extort P1 million from each of them in exchange for legal representation and their release.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil clarified that the raid was conducted based on legal procedures.

In addition to the administrative case addressed to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, the Chinese nationals also sought the suspension of Hernia to prevent him from influencing the probe.

Three ACG personnel were relieved from their posts for allegedly covering closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera during the raid.

ACG chief Maj. Gen. Ronnie Francis Cariaga said he ordered the relief of the officers and a probe into their alleged tampering of the CCTV system in the building during a post-raid investigation on Oct. 31.

Reports said the three moved and covered the CCTV in a hallway to prevent them from being seen while walking shirtless due to the extreme heat inside the building.

The building’s elevator and air-conditioning system were allegedly intentionally disabled, forcing the raiding team to walk all the way up to the 23rd floor where the alleged POGO hub is located.

“The PNP-ACG is concerned about the welfare of the police officers, but we take this incident seriously and will not tolerate such actions. Sanctions will be imposed if these police officers are found liable,” Cariaga said.

Police indicated that the building administrator, chief security officer and other personnel had access to the elevators, but disabled these, compounding the officers’ physical strain during the operation.

The sacked ACG officers are undergoing administrative proceedings. They were transferred to the personnel holding and accounting section of the police unit pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission disowned the raid, describing it as “flawed” after police released the arrested foreign suspects.