Fake policeman falls anew
A 24-year-old man pretending to be a member of the Philippine National Police was arrested Monday morning in Iznart St., Iloilo City.
To play the part, Dennis Celestial, a resident of Poblacion, Delgado St., Calinog, Iloilo, donned a complete uniform of the 6th Regional Public Safety Management Battalion with combat shoes on.
Celestial introduced himself as Police Officer 3 Mark Castro.
He was arrested inside Roger’s Barber Shop by members of Iloilo City Public Safety Company led by Supt. Eduardo Tuazon Jr., and of Iloilo City Police Office Intelligence Section led by Chief Insp. Dande Deocampo.
“When we asked him to what class and batch does he belong and what is his badge number, he couldn’t answer,” Tuazon said.
The suspect later mentioned a fictitious badge number, and claimed to be a member of Batch 2010, which means he is a police recruit and could not possibly hold a rank of PO3.
Eventually, Celestial admitted that he was pretending to be a policeman.
“I just want to help,” he said.
Policemen also recovered from him several documents under a different name.
The suspect was also arrested before when he posed as Capt. Mark Castro of the Philippine Army.
The management of a mall had also filed a complaint against Celestial who then claimed to be a member of the PNP Firearms, Explosives, Security Agency, and Guards Supervision Group and demanded a big amount of money.
As of press time, the suspect was detained at the Iloilo City Police Station pending the filing of charges against him.
