Makati police exec, 23 others sacked over standoff

(Updated 12:30 p.m.) For failing to secure the Makati City Hall and stop the walkout-march that led to The Peninsula Manila hotel standoff last week, the officer-in-charge of the Makati police and 23 of his men were sacked. Director Gen. Avelino Razon Jr, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), also ordered Senior Superintendent Angel Sumulong and his subordinates administratively charged for committing the "sin of omission." "I ordered them removed from their posts because of their inaction when the walkout and march were taking place. That inaction will be part of the investigation," Razon said in Filipino on dzMM radio. He said they will not be given any new assignment to make sure they are available if they are summoned for investigation. Razon said he expected them to be patrolling the streets of Makati City and to stop the march to the hotel. In ordering their relief, Razon said he was never informed of what was happening, and that he learned of the walkout by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brigadier Gen. Danilo Lim through media reports. Superintendent Rommel Miranda, deputy public information chief of the PNP, said Sumulong and the 23 others have reported to the Southern Police District "to undergo investigation before a special investigative body. "The investigation is aimed at determining the responsibility of these Makati Police Station personnel for their apparent inaction to control the situation," Miranda said in a statement. Senior Superintendent Jaime Calungsod Jr, deputy chief of the Southern Police District, was tasked to lead the probe panel. Sumulong earlier said in an interview on dzBB radio Monday that he was at an orientation for new recruits when he learned of the incident. He said he called Calungsod for guidance. He said Calungsod told him to monitor the situation while the latter summoned reinforcements. "I sought guidance because the situation was tense and they might fire on us. We did not want anyone hurt," Sumulong said. Sumulong also admitted that he was confused because there were men in military uniform who barked questions at him and asked him who he was. "Maski ako nalito (Even I was confused). There was general confusion," he added. Asked why he did not inform Binay about the situation, he said, "I don't know the mayor's mobile phone number." "I just asked the tactical operations center to call the mayor and then patch me through," he claimed. The PNP public information office identified the 23 other relieved officers as Insp. Geraldo Diño, Senior Police Officer (SPO) 3 Carlos Mendibei, and Police Officer (PO) 3 Edwin Buenaventura of the City Hall Detachment; Senior Insp. Reycon Garduque, PO2 Rommel Salcedo, and PO1 Globel Belarmino of Police Community Precinct 8; SPO1 Noel Infante, PO1 Wilfredo Alvarez and PO2 Raul Del Rosario of the Mobile Patrol Unit; Senior Insp. McVernon Manera, PO2 Reyne Baluyan and PO1 Bryan Hernandez of the Intelligence Division; SPO1 Enrique Fernandez and PO2 Jomerick Turiano of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit; Traffic Division personnel SInp Gilberto Loteria, Insp Oscar Alicando, SPO4 Antonio Buctuan, SPO1 Mano Deveza, SPO4 Ronando Pilande, SPO2 Rogelio Valdenor, SPO1 Melchor Calooy, SPO3 Nestor Frias, and PO3 Luisito Ordoñez. - GMANews.TV