Criminal raps filed vs. 15 Caloocan cops who tapped minor to rob house

Criminal charges were filed on Wednesday with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Caloocan City policemen who brought along a minor on September 7 to a house they raided without a search warrant.

Assisted by the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), Gina Erobas and Gil Magallon filed a complaint for robbery, violation of the law against child abuse, trespass to dwelling, and violation of domicile against 15 officers and members of the Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 4.

Included in the charge sheet were Police Officer (PO) 1 Sherwin Rivera, PO1 Louie Serrano, PO1 Marvin Poblete, PO1 Jay Gabanata, PO1 Jaime Natividad, PO1 Jaypee Tulay, PO1 Ariel Furio, PO1 Rohelio Hulaton, PO1 Joel Leaban, PO1 Rene Llanto and PO1 Michael Miguel.

Also named respondents were PO1 Francis Ruiz Quidic, PO1 Jay-R Sabangan, Senior Inspector Warren Peralta, Chief Inspector Timothy Aniway Jr., and two unidentified men.

CCTV footage showed the policemen, along with a suspected asset/spotter, entering the residence of Erobas with a minor.

One of the police officers could be seen picking up and putting back items, including a watch and a cellphone.

The child was later seen holding up the items to another police officer and pocketing them, with the officer holding up a finger to his lips in what appeared to be a sign to the boy to keep quiet.

It was only after seeing the CCTV footage of the incident that the family discovered the theft: a cellphone, a wallet, and two watches with a total value of P30,000 were carted away.

Days after the raid on the woman's house at Barrio Sta. Rita in Barangay 188, Tala, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde ordered the relief of the 1,200-strong Caloocan City police.

Only newly-installed Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Jemar Modequillo and Deputy Chief for Administration Chief Inspector Ilustre Mendoza were retained by Albayalde.

The policemen involved in the illegal raid have already been placed under restrictive custody.

The incident happened as the Caloocan police force is embroiled in the controversial killings of teenagers Kian Loyd delos Santos and Carl Angelo Arnaiz.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II had already asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the September 7 incident and for the DOJ Task Force on Child Protection to "thoroughly investigate" the alleged abuse of the minor.

"Part of my directive is for the DOJ Task Force to file the necessary charges against the responsible persons who have committed any act which is tantamount to child abuse," Aguirre said in a statement on September 18.

"Evidently, any act which inflicts physical or psychological injury, cruelty to or the neglect, sexual abuse of, or which exploits, a child is child abuse. Cases of child abuse should be punished to the full extent of the law," he said. — MDM/KVD, GMA News