ARREST warrants were served against eight police officers held in a police camp in Taguig City over alleged illegal activities, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Guillermo Eleazar said Thursday, March 7.
The NCRPO Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU) implemented the arrest warrant against Senior Seargent Rafael Muchuelas for the case of estafa on Tuesday, March 5. The warrant was issued by the Pasay Regional Trial Court on February 15.
Eleazar said charges against Muchuelas stemmed from the complaint of Master Sergeant Jenaline Sad-Ang and her husband.
According to Sad-Ang, they invested P2,600,000 on December 1, 2015 to Muchuelas, who claimed to be a representative of the Rafael Muchuelas Group of Companies and with contact ties with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation concerning casino operations that guaranteed profitable return.
However, they were not able to receive their money back despite demanding for it. They also found out that the Rafael Muchuelas Group of Companies was non-existent based on the records of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
On February 20, 2018, the NCRPO placed Muchuelas under restrictive custody for his involvement in investments scams, and an administrative case of grave misconduct was filed against him.
Muchuelas was brought to RSOU office for documentation and the warrant of arrest will be returned to the court of origin.
On Wednesday, March 7, the RSOU team also arrested Senior Sergeant Joel Lupig, Corporals Vener Gunalao and Jayson Arellano, Patrolmen Jeffrey De Leon, Mark Jefferson Fulgencio, Raymart Gomez and Erickson Rivera after the Tagaytay City judicial regional trial court issued an arrest warrant against them over charges of kidnapping for ransom.
Eleazar said in November 2018, Shelane Lugutan, a sister of an arrested drug suspect, complained about the seven policemen, who were then members of the Las Piñas police. Lugutan said the seven cops have demanded money from them in exchange for the release and dropping of charges against her brother.
The suspects earlier eluded arrest during an entrapment operation, but they later on surrendered themselves to Eleazar.
The seven policemen were also placed in a restrictive custody in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City prior to the issuance of arrest warrant against them.
Aside from criminal charges, the seven cops were also charged with grave misconduct. (VoxPop Philippines)