COPS IN HOT WATER FOR PLANTED DRUGS

Police have filed criminal charges against police Supt. Francisco
Villaroman and nine other policemen for allegedly planting a huge amount of
shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochoride, on a Chinese national during a
supposed drug bust operation in Pasay City in March 1998.

Villaroman and the policemen were last Monday charged under Section 19 of
RA 7659, which imposes the death penalty on government, military and police
officials for planting evidence, said Director Nestorio Gualberto, head of
the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Also charged were Senior Inspectors Julius Cesar Mana, Julieto Culili and
Medel Pone Sr.; Insp. Carlito Dimalanta; Senior Police Officers 3 Armando
Bungay and Benedicto Tupil; SPO2 Mabini Rosale, Saul Savellano and
Evageline Martos.

Culili, Bungay and Tupil were also charged with obstruction of justice.

All the police officers are on floating status.

Pasay City Judge Porfirio Macaraig on Sept. 18, 1998, dismissed a case
filed by Villaroman et al. against Go Lip Tse, alias Philip Sy, for
possession of shabu.

The judge said the policemen had given false testimonies against Go and
said their operation was a hulidap or a "bogus buy-bust."

The judge recommended the filing of charges against the policemen.

The policemen had alleged in their complaint that they arrested Go during a
buy-bust operation in front of the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City on March
15, 1998, and had seized from him 312 grams of shabu.

A tape of the hotel's surveillance camera, however, showed that the
policemen had forced Go into their vehicle while he was standing in front
of the hotel lobby.

The Chinese also complained of being robbed of his valuables and personal
belongings.

Gualberto said administrative charges would also be filed against the 10
police officers for grave misconduct.