(Eagle News) — Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar on Thursday, ,Sept. 2, announced the dismissal from service of 15 policemen who claimed six people who died in San Jose, Bulacan on February 18 were drug personalities who had been shot in legitimate drug operations.
In a statement, Eleazar said he himself signed the dismissal order against the following in June after the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service found they planted illegal drugs and firearms on six victims and made it appear they had been killed in a drug operation:
- Police Staff Sergeant Benjie Enconado
- Police Staff Sergeant Irwin Joy Yuson
- Police Corporal Marlon Martus
- Police Corporal Edmund Catubay Jr.
- Police Corporal Harvy Albino
- Police Corporal Herbert Hernandez
- Patrolman Rusco Madla
- Police Major Leo dela Rosa
- Police Staff Sergeant Jayson Legaspi
- Police Corporal Jay Marc Leoncio
- Police Corporal Constante Escalante Jr.
- Police Corporal Raymond Bayan
- Police Corporal Paul Malgapo
- Police Corporal Randy Camito
- Patrolman Erwin Sabido
The PNP said based on IAS’ investigation, the victims just happened to pass by the area where the policemen were conducting anti-illegal drugs operations on February 13 when arrested.
The six were then brought to the police station where they were hogtied and detained but were not booked for any offense.
The victims were then taken to a secluded area in Barangay Gaya-Gaya and were shot, the PNP said.
“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ito at hindi ko kukunsintihin ang mga ganitong uri ng pang-aabuso at kalokohan dahil ang mga katulad nila ang sumisira sa aming kampanya laban sa droga at sa pangalan ng inyong Philippine National Police,” Eleazar said.
According to the PNP, while all 15 were found guilty of planting of firearms and illegal drugs, only Enconado, Yuson, Martus, Catubay, Albino, Hernandez, and Madla are facing six counts of murder and six counts of arbitrary detention over the crime.
The Department of Justice, the PNP said, dropped the cases of murder and arbitrary detention against the rest.
“Hindi kailanman kinunsinti ng inyong PNP ang mga kaso ng pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan sa aming hanay at kasama namin ang DOJ sa paghahanap ng katotohanan at pagbibigay ng hustisya sa ating mga kababayan,” Eleazar said.
The then-Chief of Police of San Jose del Monte City, Police Lt. Col. Gil Domingo, was meted out a six-month suspension for command responsibility.
