Philippines: 2 police colonels face dismissal for P5k "kotong"

by MCP

(16Nov2011)/by: baylander
Here is another issue about police "kotong". You can just imagine they are high ranking officials yet they risked their lofty salaries and retirement benefits in exchange of P5,000 pesos. What kind of behavior these police colonels have?
Just recently, two senior police officers of the Philippine National Police are facing dismissal from the service after a plane passenger from Isabela province complained against them for alleged grave misconduct and extortion. The suspects are Senior Superintendent (Col.) Amador Hernandez and Superintendent (Lt. Col.) Eulogio Lovello Fabro. They are both assigned to the Aviation Security Group at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga.
The complainant identified as Mary Ann Delgado asked help to Isabela Vice-Governor Rodito Albano which the latter brought the issue to Hon. Jesse Robredo, secretary of DILG and chairman of NAPOLCOM.
Ms. Delgado was about to board a flight for Singapore when the incident happened.

For further details about the validity of the case, here is a portion of the article released by DILG on Nov. 16, 2011.

The two subject PNP officers had undergone, after due notice, summary dismissal hearing pursuant to Section 42 of Republic Act 6975 as amended by Section 53 of RA 8551 in relation with NAPOLCOM Memo Circular 2007-001.

The NAPOLCOM, which is a collegial body and a policy-making office of the PNP, is set to decide on the fate of Hernandez and Fabro anytime soon, the DILG chief said.

Delgado, a resident of Binguang, San Pablo, Isabela, claimed that at about 11:00 a.m. on October 3, 2011, she checked in at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, for her Singapore trip. She was with friends Brigida Estorquia and Nonilona Cureg. When Delgado’s baggage passed through the airport’s X-ray machine, the personnel assigned thereat noticed and later found out that she was carrying cash of more than P20,000 which she failed to declare in compliance to a Central Bank Circular that “excess money of more than P10,000 should be declared” before the local Bureau of Customs office.

A few minutes later, Delgado said she was brought inside the airport’s PNP ASG office where she met Senior Superintendent Hernandez who was in full police uniform and wearing a nametag in his chest. She said Hernandez was with a man wearing a jacket that she later identified as Supt. Fabro.

Inside said office, Hernandez confiscated Delgado’s passport and inspected the cash money she was to bring to her Singapore trip. “Sinabi nila na kung dadalhin ako sa Customs ay made-delay ako sa flight ko at kukunin doon ‘yung pera at iiwanan na lang ako ng P10,000. Nang magtanong ako kung ano magandang gawin, sinabi sa akin ni Supt. Hernandez na kung ano daw ang maluwag sa akin,” Delgado said.

“Sa takot ko at sa aking pagmamadali ay nakikiusap at nagmamakaawa ako ngunit patuloy pa rin siyang nagpaparinig at nananakot. At dahil sa aking takot ay na-alok ko siya ng halagang P1,000 ngunit pinagtawanan nila ako. Nagpadagdag sila ng nagpadagdag hanggang umabot ng P5,000,” she added.

Out of fear and the fact that she will be left behind of her flight if she failed to accede to the police officers’ demand, Delgado conceded. After getting the money, the police officers had her passport photocopied and forced her place her signature at the back of the paper.

“Nang tinanong ko siya (Hernandez) kung bakit ako pipirma ng blangko, sinabi niya sa akin kung agrabyado daw ba ako. At sa laking takot ko ay napapirma ako para makaalis na,” she said.