OMBUDSMAN FILES RAPS VS ACOP, 9 OTHER COPS

The Office of the Ombudsman yesterday filed direct bribery charges before
the Sandiganbayan against 10 policemen in connection with the release of
six suspected Chinese drug traffickers arrested almost four years ago.

Acting Ombudsman Margarito P. Gervacio Jr. said the charges were filed
against Chief Supt. Reynaldo Acop, former NarGroup chief; Francisco
Villaroman; Supt. John Campos; Chief Inspector Ceasar Mana; Cesar Aquino:
SPO2s Antonio Venture and Mabini Rosale; SPO1 Danilo Castro; PO3 Ferdinand
Apuli; and PO1 Anthony Ong, all formerly assigned with the Philippine
National Police Narcotics Group.

Gervacio said the filing of charges was based on the testimonies issued by
Mary "Rosebud" Ong and Remus Garganera that the accused received P3 million
and 10 kilos of shabu in exchange for the release of drug suspects Lu Shao
Min, Wang Jin Luan, Jin Plao Wang Chua, Li Jiaz Hu, Ah Chun, and Eduardo
Ling Hing Ong.

Records showed the suspects were alleged members of the 14K drug syndicate
and were arrested last Dec. 6, 1998 during a raid at a house in Maria Clara
St., Quezon City.

Charges of illegal possession of firearms and illegal drug trafficking were
filed against the Chinese nationals after authorities confiscated three
unlicensed firearms, 29.8 grams of shabu and other drug paraphernalia from
the suspects.

Quezon City assistant prosecutor Eliodoro Lara, however, dismissed the case
against the Chinese nationals after arresting officers failed to appear in
the scheduled hearings.

Ong testified on Sept. 26, 2001 that she met a certain Chong Hui Ming in
Hong Kong who offered P3 million in exchange for the suspects' release.

Ong said she was the intermediary during the negotiations for the Chinese
nationals' release. Garganera testified that he was the one who withdrew
the P3 million from Metrobank and gave the money intended for the Chinese
nationals' release to Villaroman.

Garganera also said that Campos asked for 10 kilos of shabu in addition to
the P3 million.