COURT ORDERS ARREST OF 5 COPS

THREE courts have ordered the arrest of five police officers charged of different offenses.

Philippine National Police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) director Brig. Gen. Warren F. De Leon said Police Captains Orlando Rosales Jr., 38; and Guilbert Asuncion, 39; and Police MSgt.  Dante Baloran, 42, were the subject of a warrant of arrest for two counts of murder issued by Judge Clarissa Dao of the San Mateo, Rizal Regional Trial Court.

The warrant stemmed from the killing of two suspected members of the New People’s Army in an encounter with the three and their colleagues from the PNP Special Action Force in Sitio Lagyo, Bgy. Puray in Rodriguez, Rizal in 2010.

Rosales, currently assigned with the Philippine National Police – Special Action Force; Asuncion of the PNP Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development; and Baloran of the Police Regional Office 2, turned themselves over to the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) headquarters in Camp Crame on Tuesday after learning that a non-bailable warrant has been issued against them by the Rizal court.

According to the trio, the criminal charges filed against them were made in the line of duty.

The PNP leadership has vowed full legal assistance for the accused, who were all members of the SAF’s Rapid Deployment Battalion, when they encountered the heavily-armed NPA guerrillas in Rodriguez, Rizal.

         The fourth suspect identified as dismissed SPO2 Marvin San Juan was arrested by PNP-IMEG operatives on the basis of a warrant for violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

The former Navotas City policeman was tracked down in his residence in General T. de Leon, Valenzuela City around 10 a.m. Friday.

Judge Evangeline Mendoza-Francisco of the Valenzuela City RTC Branch 270 ordered the arrest of the 60-year-old accused for violation of  RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

The fifth suspect,  Pat. Sheryl Lou Licayan, 42, was arrested on the basis of a warrant of arrest for usurpation of authority under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code and other forms of swindling.

Licayan, who used to be assigned at the Cagayan de Oro City Police Precinct 4, was nabbed on Tuesday by  IMEG Mindanao Field Unit personnel.

 Judge Clyden Rondrigque of the Pagadian City Municipal Trial Court issued a warrant of arrest against the accused for “service of sentence” for usurpation of authority and other forms of swindling under Article 316.