Top cop sacked in robbery fallout
INTERIOR Secretary Ronaldo Puno on Tuesday ordered the relief of the chief of police of San Nicolas, Pangasinan in a bid to prevent criminal elements from entering the town following reports that the mayor’s bodyguards there were involved with the Alvin Flores group which robbed the Rolex watch shop at the high-end Greenbelt 5 mall in Makati last Oct. 18.
Puno instructed PNP chief Jesus Verzosa to replace Senior Insp. Antonio Malicdan with a more competent police officer.
Reports said Armando Domingo, the Alvin Flores group member who was shot dead by the security escorts of Taguig City Mayor Freddie Tiñga during the robbery, had once worked for San Nicolas Mayor Leoncio Zaldivar III. Zaldivar said Domingo left because of low salary.
Puno said a sharper-eyed monitor is needed in San Nicolas. "If the mayor cannot see that his bodyguards are robbers, put in someone who has better eyesight," he said.
Puno said he has also ordered the investigation of Zaldivar even if the mayor denied involvement in the gang’s criminal activities. "Pinapa-investigate ko rin siya (Zaldivar). But in the meantime, we have to replace the chief of police para matignan ang flow ng criminals doon," he added.
The PNP is also investigating information that a number of elected officials have been involved in the illegal activities of the Alvin Flores Group. Verzosa told reporters in Camp Crame that Warlito "Wallet" Rodriquito, one of the suspects in the Greenbelt 5 heist, surrendered to Pangasinan police chief Senior Supt. Percival Barba Monday morning and made some revelations that need to be looked into.
"We will be investigating the circumstances of his admission and the probable involvement of other personalities, if there are political personalities or elected officials that are involved. If we find evidence, we will charge all of them," Verzosa said.
Malaya tried to get more details on Rodriquito’s surrender but Barba said they have rules to follow on the release of information. "May guidance po kami. Crame na lang daw ang magre-release ng pics, statements etc re Alvin Flores."
Verzosa said intelligence reports also indicate that a Pangasinan town mayor whom he declined to identify pending verification of information, has links with the Flores gang and even took care of one gang member hurt in a recent encounter with policemen. "If there is enough basis, he might be invited for questioning," he said, adding that other local executives who may be protecting criminals they may later use as goons in the 2010 elections will also be investigated.
Verzosa said tracker teams have fanned out nationwide to account for some 30 remnants of the Flores gang. He said similar operations will be conducted against known criminal syndicates and their links with each other established. "We are looking at the connection of the Ampang-Colangco group to Alvin Flores group and the Ozamiz and the Waray-waray group because in some activities of these groups, they exchanged personnel and firearms." – Raymond Africa