Cousins in ‘tanim droga’ case exonerated, cops including station chief arrested

Illegal drugs charges have been dropped against two cousins in a case of alleged "tanim-droga" and "hulidap" involving police officers in Taguig.

According to an exclusive report by Emil Sumangil on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, cousins Jay and Jake (not their real names) said that in 2019 the cops searched them for drugs and took away their cellphones. They were taken to the precinct where, said Jay, the police made it look as if they had confiscated shabu from the cousins.

"Nagulat ako, dinrug test kami, negative kami," said Jay, who said the police also took away the soaps he was selling.

"Pinag-parte-partehan nila, tapos pinahubad nila ako ng gamit ko, kwintas, bracelet, pinasok na ako sa loob ng kulungan, may shabu na rin daw po ako," he said, adding that his cousin Jake was forced to confess.

"Pinalo siya ng baril sa nuo, tapos pinasok siya sa kwarto. Paglabas ako naman ang pinasok, sinupot ako, habang sinusuntok ako sa tiyan," he said.

Jay's mother Silvia said that at the precinct, the Station 6 commander Police Major Paul Bryan Torres demanded money from her.

"Nanghihingi siya ng P100,000 [para] ilabas daw ang dalawang bata," Silvia said.

"Hindi makaya ng nanay ang ganuong halaga, binaba nila sa P80,000," said Philippine National Police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) Director Police Brigader General Warren De Leon.

"Hindi pa rin makaya, nagkasundo sila sa P69,000. 'Yun na ang time na nagreklamo sa CITF [Counter-Intelligence Task Force] itong complainant."

The authorities arrested Torres and Patrolman Ariel Eltanal, who allegedly accepted the money in an entrapment operation, and they were both dismissed from service.

"Gusto nila kumita ng pera. Iniipit nila ang mga biktima, hinahanapan ng kaso, raket 'yan!" De Leon added.

On Tuesday, the Taguig City Regional Trial Court also issued a resolution exonerating Jay and Jake in the illegal drug case filed against them by the police in 2019.

The complainants also went to the PNP Internal Affairs Service to file charges against four other Taguig police officers allegedly involved in the incident.

"Para po akong nabunutan ng tinik, pero siyempre sa sitwasyon namin, nandoon 'yung takot," Silvia said.

"Lalaban po kami, magkakaso kami. Sa nangyari sa amin, nahirapan kami. Hindi pwedeng ganoon," Jay added.

GMA Integrated News has reached out to the accused police officers for comment. — Sherylin Untalan/BM, GMA Integrated News