NAPOLCOM dismisses Manila cop over alleged rape

The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) on Monday said it has ordered the dismissal from service of a Manila police officer in connection with an alleged rape incident.

In a statement, NAPOLCOM said the Commission en banc found Patrolman Joshua Mendoza administratively liable for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

“The Commission emphasized that Mendoza’s actions demonstrated intentional wrongdoing, flagrant disregard of the law, and moral corruption, rendering him unfit to remain in the police service,” it said.

“Accordingly, he was meted the penalty of dismissal from the service,” it added.

GMA News Online has reached out to the Manila Police District (MPD) for the side of Mendoza but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

NAPOLCOM said the May 4 decision was based on substantial evidence such as eyewitness accounts, medico-legal findings, CCTV footage, and the complainant’s corroborated testimony.

According to NAPOLCOM, Mendoza committed acts of sexual violence against a victim who was unconscious and incapable of giving consent in violation of Anti-Rape Law.

Meanwhile, another respondent in the complaint, who is also a cop, was cleared after the Commission found no substantial evidence linking him to the offense.

“There is absolutely no place in the police service for this kind of violence and moral depravity. Exploiting a woman who is unconscious is not just a crime, it is a grave assault on the dignity of the uniform and a betrayal of public trust,” NAPOLCOM Commissioner Ralph Calinisan said.

“We will not tolerate this. Any police officer who violates the law in such a reprehensible manner will be removed from the service. There is no protection for abusers, only accountability,” he added.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed in January before NAPOLCOM by a woman, identified as “Anna,” against Mendoza.

According to the complainant, she went out with Mendoza along with several companions, including another police officer, a barangay official, and another woman.

She said she lost consciousness after her last drink and suspected it may have been spiked. 

She later woke up inside a motel while being sexually assaulted, prompting the suspect to stop when she regained consciousness. —AOL, GMA News