2 cops to be sacked, one suspended over missing youths in Imus, Cavite

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday issued a resolution to fire two police officers and suspend another after they were deemed the last people to see two young men who remain missing.

According to a 24 Oras report by Emil Sumangil on Thursday, the PNP's Internal Affairs Service was able to secure CCTV footage of eight individuals parking near a convenience store in Imus, Cavite around 1 a.m. on July 13, 2023.

The group, which included the three police officers, were seen flagging down and inspecting a motorcycle with two passengers.

“Itong grupo na ito ng mga pulis at yung mga taga-barangay na sibilyan, yun ang huling kasama nung dalawang bata na nawawala… Sila ay naka-sibilyan nung ginawa nila ito,” said PNP-IAS Inspector General Brigido Dulay.

(This group of police officers and civilians from the barangay are the last people to have been with the two missing youths…They were not in uniform when they did this.)

“Hindi authorized yung kanilang checkpoint. Dapat naka-uniporme ka, dapat malinaw ang mga senyales mo, mag poster na nakadikit na ito’y checkpoint… Lahat hindi ginawa,” he added.

(Their checkpoint was not authorized. You should be in uniform, you should have clear signs, and have a poster indicating that it is a checkpoint… All of these were not done.)

A former Imus police chief may also be removed from his post.

“Command responsibility… Siya yung may hawak ng dalawa na ito, yung dalawang pulis na nagsagawa nito… Kasama siya ruon, dahil yung statement niya sablay din,” said Dulay.

(Command responsibility… He is the one in charge of these two, the two police officers that did this… He is involved here, because his statement was also weak.)

The relatives of the victims will be filing charges against the police officers.

Meanwhile, the barangay officers who were also in the checkpoint are now facing criminal cases. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News