By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The National Police Commission (Napolcom) filed administrative charges on Thursday against several cops involved in three separate incidents of alleged grave misconduct.
At a press briefing at the Napolcom main office in Quezon City, Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan said the IMIS (Inspection, Monitoring and Investigation Service) filed formal charges for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer against Col. Rommel Estolano, former chief of the Highway Patrol Group Special Operations Division (HPG SOD), for allegedly accepting PHP7 million in bribes from an arrested suspect.
The case stemmed from a June 13 operation in Parañaque City, in which HPG personnel flagged a certain “JJ Javier” initially for traffic violations, then discovered firearms in his vehicle.
Five of the HPG officers alleged that Estolano accepted bribes for special treatment for the suspect while in detention and for him to fix his case.
However, when asked to comment, Estolano accused the HPG officers of arresting the suspect over a warrant that had already been recalled by a Pasay City court in July 2024.
Meanwhile, Calinisan said another complaint of grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer was filed against two Marikina City cops for allegedly raping a patrolwoman.
“Ang IMIS ay nakakita ng probable cause para sila ay kasuhan (Our IMIS saw probable cause to charge them),” he said.
According to reports, the suspects – a patrolman and a staff sergeant – allegedly picked up the victim on Aug. 17 while she was on duty and invited her for coffee.
She was then allegedly molested inside a police mobile along a jogging lane in the city.
The two suspects are now confined at the Eastern Police District (EPD) Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU) and will be facing administrative charges, as well as acts of lasciviousness and violation of Republic Act 8353, or the Anti-Rape Law.
The third administrative charge involved seven police officers from the Caloocan City police who were implicated in the death of Dion Angelo Dela Rosa, a 20-year-old student who died of leptospirosis in July.
The legal complaint, endorsed by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, accuses seven police officers of grave misconduct, grave dishonesty, incompetence, oppression, and conduct unbecoming of an officer.
“Kakasuhan sila ng grave misconduct, grave dishonesty, incompetence, oppression, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer (They will be charged with grave misconduct, grave dishonesty, incompetence, oppression, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer),” Calinisan said without identifying the officers being charged.
The three charges were brought by the IMIS to the Napolcom Legal Affairs Service for the assignment of a hearing officer and the serving of summons to the officers being charged.
Manila cops charged anew
Meanwhile, Calinisan also presented to the media another delivery rider, Nicole Owen Solleza, who filed a complaint before the Napolcom on Thursday against 11 Manila Police District Drug Enforcement Unit (MPD DEU) personnel for allegedly abducting him and a fellow delivery rider last week.
Solleza accused the officers of forcibly taking him and fellow delivery rider Chester Dumaran into a vehicle and driving them around Rizal province for hours on Sept. 9 over allegedly fabricated drug charges.
Solleza said he and Dumaran knew each other from their delivery app and were meeting to catch up when the group of officers supposedly accosted them.
Calinisan said that Solleza was released pending further investigation by the Manila city prosecutor on Sept. 11.
Solleza said he was not involved in illegal drugs, claiming that he only underwent a general medication examination and not a drug test while in police custody.
IMIS Chief Edman Pares did not name the 11 respondents but said the group comprised four staff sergeants, two master sergeants, two patrolmen, a major, a corporal, and a senior master sergeant.
Calinisan said regarding Dumaran’s and Solleza’s complaints, the agency received information that some of the 11 police officers accused were also part of an allegedly anomalous June 20 anti-drug operation in Tondo, Manila.
He said the Napolcom had already opened a motu proprio investigation into that supposed incident.
On Sept. 12., Dumaran filed his complaint with the IMIS against a police major, two master sergeants, two staff sergeants, one corporal, and one patrol officer for grave misconduct, grave irregularities in the performance of duty, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
“Gumugulong na po ‘yung administratibo nila na kaso at binibigyan po natin ng pagkakataon ‘yung both parties dito sa due process (Their administrative case is rolling and we are giving both parties a chance for due process),” he said during a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City. (PNA)
