The Philippine police have been embroiled in another scandal recently—31 officers from the Eastern Police District (EPD) in Metro Manila have been dismissed for allegedly extorting two Chinese citizens during law enforcement.
Major General Anthony Aberin, the chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), confirmed in a phone interview with the media on Friday that all 31 members of the District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) have been relieved of their duties, and some senior officers are also under administrative investigation for command negligence.
According to a special order issued by the EPD's Personnel Records and Management Section, eight officers have been placed under restrictive custody, including four sergeants, two corporals, and two patrol officers.
The incident began during a law enforcement operation in Las Piñas City on Wednesday. The police, while executing arrest warrants against two Chinese nationals—Jie Li and Wang Feng Tao—allegedly conducted an illegal search and seized a large amount of cash and valuables, including 27 million pesos, 430,000 US dollars, Malaysian ringgits, luxury brand bags, gold watches, jewelry, gold bars, and multiple mobile phones.
More questionably, during the operation, the police turned off the residential surveillance system, did not wear body cameras, and were not led by an authorized commissioned officer. They also failed to submit a timely on-site report. The investigation also revealed that some involved officers left contact information, hinting that the detainees' families could "negotiate privately."
Additionally, the police recovered 12 million pesos from these officers. The involved personnel claimed that this money was a bribe offered by the suspects, but reportedly, they admitted to possessing the cash only after being questioned by their superiors.
It is noteworthy that these officers had previously been transferred from Mandaluyong City to the Eastern Police District due to involvement in robbery extortion cases, but regrouped in the Special Operations Unit after the transfer, allegedly continuing illegal activities.
In response, Director Aberin stated: "Once the investigation confirms their illegal actions, they will not only be thoroughly dismissed but will also face corresponding criminal responsibilities, possibly even life imprisonment. We will not tolerate any miscreants tarnishing the reputation of the police force."
Currently, the National Capital Region Police Office has ordered a comprehensive investigation into this case, and the involved officers' service firearms have been confiscated. The incident has attracted widespread attention from both the Philippine society and the Chinese community, with public calls for strengthening internal monitoring mechanisms within the police force to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
