DRUGBUSTERS SUSPENDED FOR DUBIOUS RAID

Metro police chief Director Ricardo de Leon ordered yesterday the suspension
of seven Taguig policemen allegedly involved in a dubious anti-drug raid in
Pasig City last Sunday night.

De Leon claimed that the raid conducted by SPO2 Rodolfo Marcelo, SPO2 Pablo
Agawin, SPO2 Ernesto Sanchez, PO3 Armando Taguibao, PO2 Roderick Taca, and
PO1 Ferdinand Fallaria and PO1 Felimar Gonzalez, all members of the Taguig
police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Task Force (AID-SOTF) violated standard
operational procedures.

"Accusations of robbery, grave abuse of authority and physical injuries in
the conduct of the anti-illegal drug raid are serious in nature, which need
to be properly investigated," De Leon said.

He explained that the seven policemen conducted an anti-illegal drug
operation at the Garden Royale Villas in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City
at about 9 p.m. last March 28 without properly coordinating with the Pasig
City police.

The group arrested businessmen Palaez Maradang and Ansaroding Hadji Salic.
However, during the course of their operation, the raiders allegedly looted
the traders' homes and harassed their occupants.

Members of the Muslim community gathered in the area, preventing the raiders
from leaving with the arrested traders.

Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, director of the Eastern Police
District (EPD) summoned Islamic leader Yusoph Sacar to ease the tension and
pacify the angry crowd.

The Taguig policemen were only allowed to leave after they agreed to turn
over Maradang and Salic to Valenzuela. The EPD chief immediately arranged a
meeting between the two parties at his office.

De Leon said the incident should serve as a warning to other AID-SOTF
personnel in Metro Manila.