‘Hulidap’ cops turned to crime to maintain lavish lifestyles – former PDEA chief

Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency head and retired general Dionisio Santiago believes the cops involved in the 'hulidap' incident did it due to maintain their lavish lifestyle.

In a report on GMA's “24 Oras” aired Thursday, Santiago said a classmate of the suspects told him that most of their batchmates in the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 2001 invested in pyramid schemes.



“Because maganda ang return, ang lifestyle tumaas. Ngayon 'yung iba siguro nasanay. Husband and wife nasanay sa mataas na income they opted to do maybe some illegal activities. Kaya diyan na nga kami pumasok [dati] kasi 'yung iba meron na nga [involvement] sa drugs,” he explained.

While PDEA chief, Santiago was in charge of an operation in October 2006 where they arrested nine police officers for allegedly extorting money from drug suspects.

Included in the arrest was then Insp. Marco Polo Estrera, now dismissed from the service and a suspect in the 'hulidap' incident.

According to Santiago, some of the 'hulidap' suspects' names rang a bell particularly that of Sr. Insp. Oliver Villanueva, who was only a police inspector during the PDEA operation.

“May nagsabi [sa akin] nakatakas si Villanueva during that time. Kaya nag register [sa isip ko 'yung pangalan niya]. Sabi ko ng mabasa ko ['yung pangalan niya] ito 'yun.” he said.

Villanueva was also a suspect in the October 2006 arrest but managed to escape authorities.

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office P/Director Carmelo Valmoria visited the La Loma Police station in Quezon City where most of the suspects were assigned to.

“We are law enforcers. We are covered by rules and regulations and we are members of the uniformed service. Malaki 'yung inaasahan ng tao sa atin,” Valmoria told the cops to address their low morale.

Accompanying him was Quezon City Police District Director P/Chief Supt. Richard Albano who warned the cops against engaging in illegal activities.

“Kung meron kayong ginagawa o meron kayong balak na maghanapbuhay [ng illegal] under my watch, umalis na kayo kasi wala kayong patutunguhan,”Albano said.



Earlier Thursday, at five suspects linked to last week's 'hulidap' along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue in Mandaluyong City turned themselves in to authorities. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News