5 CIDG policemen charged for pawnshop robbery
Five policemen from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 6 were charged for robbery before the Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday by the owner of the pawnshop they illegally entered last week.
Guy Pawnshop owner Leoncio Garcia named in the charge sheet Police Officers 2 Napoleon de Guzman and Archie Palomo and Police Officers 1 Ariel San Agustin, Mario Borja, and Aldrin Ligan.
Ligan is an addition to the list as earlier reports said only four CIDG 6 men were seen entering Guy Pawnshop in Ledesma St., Iloilo City.
Police Station 1 commander, Senior Insp. Eliezer Baclagon, said a pawnshop employee identified Ligan as the one who served as lookout while his four fellow policemen went inside the establishment.
Garcia claimed he lost more than P3 million in cash and properties after the policemen raided his pawnshop.
It was earlier reported that the four policemen searched the establishment without warrant and took with them P1.8 million in cash, P1 million worth of jewelry, and a .45 caliber pistol.
Baclagon said the close circuit television showed footages that would constitute a violation of the law on the part of the CIDG 6 personnel.
Granting they were just there to escort the complainant’s wife, Elizabeth Bertomo-Garcia, they still entered what could be considered an off-limits area, he said.
Elizabeth, Borja’s cousin, reportedly has a conflict with her husband.
Preventive Suspension
Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Dennis Basngi, city police director, said he is looking into the possibility of recommending a preventive suspension for the involved CIDG 6 personnel while their case is being heard.
Earlier, Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr., police regional director, also ordered an investigation on the incident.
He said the Regional Internal Affairs Service, an independent investigation group of the Police Regional Office 6, will handle the administrative aspect of the case.
Pagdilao said the probe will take into account the involvement of CIDG 6 operatives in what was considered a family feud.
He said investigators will also look into the possibility that Borja was asked by Elizabeth to accompany her to get her belongings from the establishment.*
