Cop in alleged extort try on NCRPO chief's son sacked for an earlier case

Over a week after he was linked to an extortion attempt on the son of new Metro Manila police head Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, SPO4 Jose Dela Peña Jr. was dismissed from the police force and placed under restrictive custody. Espina himself dismissed Dela Peña Jr., but not because of the alleged extort try on Espina's son, a report on "Unang Balita" said on Thursday. "I'd like to make it clear that this particular case has absolutely nothing to do with my son. It has everything to do with me as the chief of the NCRPO tasked of taking care of criminality in the whole of NCR, and seeing to it that all my people behave well," Espina said. According to the report, Dela Peña's dismissal was for two counts of grave misconduct, and three counts of serious irregularity in the performance of duty. The complaints were from an earlier administrative case filed by retired general Celso Castro against Dela Peña and four others who were also dismissed, the report said. Based on the complaint, Dela Peña, PO3 Rodolfo De Jesus, PO3 Carlos Bromeo, PO2 Crodel De Jose and PO2 Dionel Rosario stopped the car of Castro's son at a checkpoint at the corner of Dama de Noche and Betty Go Belmonte streets in New Manila on November 7, 2009. According to the report, Dela Peña's group conducted a search without any warrant or legal basis. "Dela Peña asked for the driver's license and opened the door of the passenger seat and dipped his hands inside the pouch of the car. He also directed his police companions to search the car extensively," Espina said in the report. Moreover, he said Dela Peña allegedly instructed Castro's son to transfer to the patrol car and drove the car himself. Because of his dismissal, Dela Peña will not receive any benefits or pension. He also faces complaints of robbery, extortion, threat and harassment. According to an earlier report, Dela Peña has a pending case against him for an incident last May 21, when he allegedly accosted a couple inside a car on Panay Avenue and accused them of indecent behavior. Meanwhile, PO2 Resty del Rosario, who was also linked to the extortion try on Espina's son, may be absolved, the "Unang Balita" report said. "So far libre siya kung ang pagbabasehan 'yung narration niya sa akin na he was just following orders at hindi sila nagkausap o nagkalapit nung young Espina," Chief Supt. Mario dela Vega, Quezon City Police District head, said in the report. Dela Vega said in an earlier report that Del Rosario claimed he was just following orders from SPO4 Jose dela Peña, and insisted they got no money from Espina's son. Dela Peña and Del Rosario had been tagged in an extortion try on Espina's son at Santolan in Quezon City on September 4. The two policemen allegedly accosted Espina's son and accused him of engaging in phone sex while in his car, and attempted to extort P20,000 from him.  — Carmela G. Lapeña /LBG, GMA News