NAPOLCOM DISMISSES 4 COPS FOR EXTORTION

THE National Police Commission (Napolcom) yesterday dismissed four
police officers and suspended two others for planting shabu and marked
money in a bid to extort money.

Napolcom dismissed SPO2 Arthur Velasco, PO1 Vinboy Pacamarra, PO1
Efren Patchicoy and PO1 Antonio Zinampan for serious irregularities in
the performance of duty, dishonesty and violation of law.

The dismissed police officers were members of the Pateros Drug
Enforcement Unit and subjects of a complaint for planting shabu and
marked money by Maria Annaliza Encinar.

Napolcom chairman Ronaldo Puno made the decision after the
commission's Regional Appellate Board (RAB) First Division affirmed
the decision of the People's Law Enforcement Board (PLEB).

Case records showed that on or about 10:00 p.m. on Aug. 5, 2003, the
group of SPO2 Velasco searched without warrant the house of Ursula
Gonzales, mother of alleged drug pusher Dennis Gonzales, in Sta. Ana,
Pateros.

After 30 minutes, Velasco's group went to the house of Encinar, the
live-in partner of Gonzales. Upon learning from the complainant that
Gonzales was not home, the group left.

However, Velasco's group came back after five minutes and showed the
complainant a sachet of shabu, which was allegedly bought by their
asset from the complainant for P100.

The group then searched Encinar's house and thereafter invited her to
the Pateros police station. At the police station, Velasco demanded
P50,000 from Encinar, which was reduced to P30,000. However, the
complainant's relatives were only able to come up with P3,000.

This angered Velasco, who then told investigator SPO3 Carmelito
Pequino to jail Encinar for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act.

In their appeal, the respondents questioned the PLEB decision on the
grounds that errors of law were committed during the investigation
prejudicial to their substantial rights and interest.

The Napolcom RAB First Division, chaired by lawyer Alfegar Triambulo,
however, found the PLEB decision supported by enough evidence to
overcome the presumption made by the respondents.

The board also concurred with PLEB's findings that there was no
buy-bust operation conducted against the complainant, nor was there
confiscation of shabu and marked money, which negated the respondents'
claim that they found two plastic sachets of shabu on top of Encinar's
television set when they searched her house.

Velasco's companions, PO1 Jovito Labine and PO1 Sherwin Revilla, were
slapped with 30- and 60-day suspensions, respectively.