PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, March 6, was all praises for the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief who grabbed and dressed down a Pasay City police officer arrested for alleged extortion activities.
In a speech delivered at Malacañan Palace, Duterte said NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar did the right thing since there are some "idiot" cops who are involved in unlawful acts.
Duterte approved the NCRPO chief's way of scolding erring police officers and gave support to the latter.
"Ilan na lang natitira na puro matitino na? Kaya itong pulis, everyday there's always an idiot. Nahuhuli. 'Yung isa was being ano ni Eleazar. He was criticized for that," the President said.
(How many police officers do still have integrity. In the police force, there's always an idiot. They get arrested. One was being scolded by Eleazar. He was criticized for that.)
"Sabihin mo kay Eleazar, okay 'yun. Eh ano ba naman yung ganun-ganon? Sumasayaw nga sila ng tao. Sabihin mo I have his back covered (Tell Eleazar that's all right. What's wrong with that? They're even dancing with people. Tell him I have his back covered)," he added.
A video of Eleazar grabbing and forcefully holding Corporal Marlo Quibete, a member of the Eastern Police District Drug Enforcement Unit who was arrested in an entrapment operation on Tuesday night, March 5, was circulated on social media.
The NCRPO Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU) arrested Quibete at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City.
The operation stemmed from the complaint of Eva Cabansag, who reported to the RSOU office that Quibete was extorting money from her in exchange for dropping the case against her live-in partner, who was earlier arrested by Quibete's unit in an illegal drugs operation.
Cabansag said Quibete, together with other District Drug Enforcement Unit (DDEU) personnel including their chief, had extorted some P60,000 from her. They also forcibly made her sign a deed of sale for their brand new motorcycle.
Quibete also allegedly took her necklace worth P42,000. All of the allegations were confirmed by text messages from Quibete to his chief and cohorts, which were found in the officer's confiscated phone.
Quibete is now under the custody of RSOU for proper documentation and he will be referred for inquest proceedings for robbery-extortion case. (Ruth Abbey Gita/VoxPop Philippines)