Cop dismissed from service over grave misconduct in ex-wife Mollenido, son killing

A police officer was dismissed from service after being found liable for grave misconduct for his acts related to the handling of the deaths of his estranged wife Police Senior Master Sergeant Diane Marie Mollenido and her son, the National Police Commission said Saturday.

The NAPOLCOM said the Commission en banc found Police Senior Master Sergeant John Mollenido administratively liable for grave misconduct, neglect of duty, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

The decomposing body of Diane Marie, 38, was found in a creek in Pulilan, Bulacan on January 24, while that of her son John Ysmael Mollenido, 8, was found in a calamansi farm in Victoria, Tarlac on January 29.

Diane Marie died from a gunshot wound while their son passed away due to asphyxia, autopsy results revealed.

"Despite the ongoing police investigation and the evidentiary value of the remains, the respondent facilitated the immediate cremation of both victims. He signed the authorization for cremation and proceeded with the process even before the completion of medico-legal procedures, resulting in the destruction of potential evidence material to the case," the NAPOLCOM said.

These acts were "a clear violation of Presidential Decree No. 1829, which penalizes obstruction of justice, including the destruction or concealment of evidence," it added.

The NAPOLCOM also said there were violations of its Memorandum Circular No. 2016-002 covering grave misconduct and other administrative offenses among police personnel.

The commission said under the guidelines of the Department of Health, the remains of persons in medico-legal cases should not be cremated without the proper authorization from competent authorities. Only burial is allowed, subject to legal clearance, it added.

“The actions of the respondent showed a blatant disregard of established legal procedures and the fundamental duty of a police officer to uphold the law,” the NAPOLCOM said in its ruling.

“Kapag ang isang pulis mismo ang sumisira sa ebidensiya at humahadlang sa katotohanan, hindi lamang batas ang nilalabag kundi ang mismong katarungan. Hindi natin papayagan na ang uniporme ay maging pananggalang sa pananagutan. Dito sa NAPOLCOM, malinaw ang aming paninindigan: ang bawat paglabag sa batas at pagtataksil sa tungkulin ay may katapat na agaran at nararapat na pananagutan," NAPOLCOM Commissioner Rafael Vicente Calinisan said.

(If a police officer is the one destroying evidence and hinders the verification of facts, it is not just the law that is violated, but also justice. We will not allow the police uniform to be used as a shield against responsibility. Here at NAPOLCOM, our stand is clear: Every violation of the law and dereliction of duty will be met with immediate and just response.)

In February, three suspects in the killings of Diane Marie and John Ysmael were formally charged with two counts of murder, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said.

In a statement, the QPCD said the prosecutor saw prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction against the suspects identified as car agent ‘Pia Katrina,’ her husband ‘Christian,’ and an accomplice ‘Gil.’

The two were killed following a botched car sale transaction in Quezon City on January 16, according to the police.

Meanwhile, the charges against John Mollenido, who was considered a person of interest, were dropped after the court granted a motion to remove his name from the list of respondents. —KG, GMA News