MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte backed the outburst of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Major General Guillermo Eleazar against a police officer allegedly involved in extortion on a drug suspect.
Duterte said defended Eleazar, who was criticized for grabbing Police Corporal Marlo Quibete’s face and at one point pulling his hair after the latter’s arrest on Wednesday in Pasig City.
“Sabihan mo kay Eleazar, okay iyon. E ano bang namang ganon-ganon? Sabihin mo, I have his back covered,” Duterte said in a speech on Wednesday evening. “Ilan na lang natitira na puro matitino na? Kaya itong pulis, everyday there’s always an idiot.”
Eleazar collared and berated the handcuffed Quibete in front of the media and other police officers after the latter was arrested for allegedly demanding P200,000 from a drug suspect.
Eleazar later apologized for losing his cool after being heavily criticized, including the Commission on Human Rights, but justified his outburst and hoped it would serve as a “stern warning” for police officers.
“Humihingi ako ng paumanhin kung hindi ko nakontrol, pero ang mga taong ‘yan ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nasisira. Para sakin, dapat lang na ganun ang trato sa mga tiwali,” Eleazar said.
He also denied that he slapped, pulled the hair and punched Quibete as what was suggested through the videos of the media covering the entrapment operation on Wednesday.
“Hindi ko sinampal iyan, hindi ko dinibdiban. Tinataas ko ‘yung mukha niya. Hindi ko rin sinabunutan. Halos walang buhok nga e, diba? Pero gusto kong makita ang mukha niya,” he said.
NCRPO CHIEF SERVES WARRANT VS COPS
Eleazar on Thursday personally served the warrant of arrest against seven Las Piñas cops who are facing kidnap for ransom charges inside the NCRPO headquarters in Taguig City.
The operation stemmed from the coordination made by Major Resty Soriano – chief of Silang, Cavite police – to the NCRPO Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU).
Staff Sergeant Joel Lupig, corporals Vener Gunalao and Jayson Arellano, and Patrolmen Jeffrey DeLeon, Mark Jeffreson Fulgencio, Raymart Gomez, and Erickson Rivera were under restrictive custody at the NCRPO Custodial Detention Facility of Regional Headquarters Support Unit when they were arrested.
Eleazar said Shelane Lagutan, a sister of an arrested drug suspect, complained that the seven police officers tried to demand money from them in exchange for the release and dropping of charges against her brother in November 2018.
The suspects earlier eluded arrest during an entrapment operation conducted against them but they later surrendered to Eleazar.
They underwent documentation prior to return of warrant of arrest to the court of origin for the issuance of commitment order.
Aside from criminal charges, the seven cops were also charged with grave misconduct.
Meanwhile, another cop was arrested for estafa inside the Custodial Detention Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa on Tuesday.
Staff Sergeant Rafael Muchuelas allegedly scammed Master Sergeant Jenaline Sad-Ang and his wife by making them invest P2.6 million in his company, Rafael Muchuelas Group of Companies.
He promised the couple that with his company’s ties with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. they would profit from their investment.
However, the Sad-Ang couple never got their profitable return, prompting them to file a case against Muchuelas.
It was also found out through verification with the Securities and Exchange Commission that the Rafael Muchuelas Group of Companies does not exist.
Muchuelas was brought to the RSOU for documentation and the warrant of arrest will be returned to the court of origin.
“This is the result of the intensification of our anti-criminality campaign. We assure the public that the PNP especially NCRPO will run after criminals no matter where they try to hide,” Eleazar said. (With a report from PNA/PN)
