CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Two police officers assigned to the provincial drug enforcement unit of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office have been arrested for their involvement in a robbery in Mabalacat City on July 1.
Initial investigation revealed that five unidentified armed men wearing black jackets, bonnets, and face masks forcibly entered a printing shop in Barangay Tabun at around 10 p.m.
Accused of dealing in illegal drugs, the shopkeepers, both residents of the area, were tied with cable straps while the shop’s CCTV system was dismantled. The suspects then fled with nine assorted high-end smartphones on board a black Toyota Vios with no plate number.
Follow-up police operations led to the recovery of the abandoned vehicle in Barangay San Vicente, Bamban, Tarlac.
Upon inspection, police recovered a document that linked the vehicle to members of the PPPO’s provincial drug enforcement unit. Coordination with the unit resulted in the arrest of two personnel and the return of the stolen items.
A case of robbery with intimidation and attempted kidnapping was referred before the Office of the Prosecutor, Mabalacat City through online inquest proceedings to Fiscal Frederick Lagrada against the suspects.
Police Regional Office 3 director BGen. Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr., denounced the actions of the suspects and assured the public that the internal cleansing program of PRO3 remains firm and uncompromising.
“We do not and will never tolerate abuse of power by anyone in our ranks,” said Peñones Jr. “This incident only strengthens our resolve to cleanse our organization of erring personnel and uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.”
He also commended the Mabalacat City Police Station for their swift and impartial handling of the case, even as he vowed the filing of administrative cases against the involved PNP personnel and their immediate supervisor. Punto News Team/PRO-3
