Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso on Friday, September 12, ordered the immediate relief of the Manila Police District’s (MPD) District Drug Enforcement Unit (DDEU) following allegations of extortion and misconduct by seven of its operatives.
Upon the Mayor’s directive, MPD chief Brig. Gen. Arnold Abad relieved the unit and directed its members to report to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU).
Domagoso said the relief order was intended to help restore public confidence in law enforcement as the case undergoes investigation.
“Walang lugar ang mga tolongges sa Lungsod ng Maynila, kahit pa sa hanay ng kapulisan,” the Mayor stressed.
“Kapag mali, mali. Hindi natin puwedeng palusutin ang mga abusado, lalo na kung ang ordinaryong tao ang pinahihirapan,” he added.
The move comes after one of two motorcycle delivery riders, identified in his affidavit only as alias Chester, sought help from the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Chester alleged that he and a companion were arbitrarily arrested by seven MPD operatives in Sampaloc, Manila, on Tuesday, September 9.
According to Chester, he and his friend were handcuffed and detained from 3 p.m. until nearly 1 a.m. the following day. He managed to escape but claimed that the officers took ₱9,000 from his GCash account and seized his companion’s motorcycle.
Napolcom Commissioner Atty. Vicente Calinisan expressed concern over discrepancies between the riders’ sworn statements and the police report.
While the victims alleged extortion and illegal detention, the MPD-DEU’s report dated September 10 stated that the two men had been arrested on drug-related charges.
As a result of the complaint, the seven policemen, including a police major, two master sergeants, two staff sergeants, a corporal, and a patrolman, now face multiple administrative charges.
These include grave misconduct, grave irregularity in the performance of duty, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
