EPD special ops chief declared AWOL

MANILA, Philippines — The sacked commander of the district special operations unit (DSOU) of the Eastern Police District was declared AWOL or absent without official leave yesterday.

Maj. Emerson Coballes’ status is AWOL after he did not comply with a return to work order from the National Capital Region Police Office, Philippine National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said.

Coballes and 30 other officers and personnel of the DSOU were sacked from their posts after eight of their members allegedly stole millions of pesos in cash and valuables from a Chinese businessman during an operation in Las Piñas.

The eight police officers were disarmed and placed under restrictive custody.

The Las Piñas prosecutor’s office has found evidence to file cases for two counts of robbery and one count of kidnapping against the DSOU officers.

The suspects underwent inquest proceedings and medical examination on Saturday. Their lawyer, Reginaldo Bucu, said his clients had been “set up.”

In a statement yesterday, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin lauded the prosecutor’s swift action.

“The NCRPO does not shield any wrongdoing. I will not condone any misdeeds perpetrated by police scalawags,” Aberin said.

The prosecutor set the preliminary investigation on April 22 and 29.

The police Internal Affairs Service is also conducting a separate probe on the administrative cases filed against the police officers.