PNP probes multi-million RTS racket

By Mario T. Supnad

ARINGAY, La Union- The Ilocos regional police headquarters here is now investigating a racket allegedly committed by staff at the Regional Training School here who allegedly pocketed millions of pesos salaries of neophyte policemen after the newly-graduated policemen exposed the issue.

The Regional headquarters’ Investigation Division here heard testimonies of 25 of the 358 policemen whose salaries, bonus and other emoluments were allegedly pocketed by the unscrupulous training officers at RTS.

“Nagkautang pa daw kami sa mga training officers na kumuha sa limang buwan naming sahod,“ complaining policemen and policewomen said in their sworn statements before the investigating team.

Alarmed by reports that salaries of neophyte policemen worth tens of millions of pesos were pocketed by the RTS staff, a top Malacanang official vowed to personally look into the anomaly even as he asked PNP chief Jesus Versoza to look into what he called legitimate but “harrowing” complaints of the newly-recruited policemen.

Dr. Enrie A. Mendoza, Presidential Assistant and political officer for North Luzon, said he will initiate a thorough investigation into the complaints of neophyte policemen who sought his help after they were reportedly harassed by a number of training officers for revealing to media that their five months salaries were allegedly pocketed by their training officers at the Regional Training School here.

“I cannot simply close my eyes to these shenanigans and I will use my available resources to give justice to these hapless neophyte policemen no matter whose toes I will step on,” said Mendoza, himself an Ilocano, upon learning that some of the complainants were recommended by Deputy national security adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson.

Mendoza’s action came after a number of policemen approached his chief of staff Angelo Mendoza in Malacanang, whom they aired their grievances about their deplorable situation.

Aside from Angelo, a number of policemen also talked to the Presidential Assistant and narrated to him their lamentable experience at the hands of their training officers.

“I was surprised when a police officer at the RTS sought my help regarding his problem. When I asked what his problem was, he suddenly told me there was no problem at all. So I asked him why he sought my help when he claimed that he had no problem, said Mendoza, saying “eto na pala yong sinasabi niyang problema niya.”

Earlier, Narional Police Commssion director Bing Florentino of the Monitoring Division, directed investigating officers Leo Pangilinan and Henry Omana to conduct a thorough probe into allegations of the 358 neophyte policemen that their salaries and bonuses were just pocketed by these training officers, saying some of them (policemen) were even made to pay by their training officers for an unknown debt they allegedly incurred during their training for six months.

“Yong sahod po namin na tig P94,000 sa loob ng limang buwan ay wala kaming nahawakan ni sampera,dahil sila na mismo ang nagpapalit ng mga cheke namin, at may utang pa daw kami sa mga training officers namin na tig P10,000,” the policemen with rank of Police Officer 1 told this writer.
Versoza earlier ordered thorough investigation on the racket involving the millions of pesos salaries of newly-recruited policemen at RTS.

Chief Supt. Constante D. Azares, Region 1 police director, said the PNP chief immediately called him for the investigation into the alleged "legalized extortion" involving a number of Training officers at RTS.

Azares, however, said that the RTS is not under his command since this is under the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) and Director Abner Cabalquinto.

The Napolcim’s and Gen. Versoza’s action came after this reporter wrote a news story regarding the lamentable situation of the policemen who sought this writer’s attention to air their grievances.

This reporter was later summoned at Na[plcom’s Makati office where he was made to reveal more shocking issues against the crooked training officers.

But before a group of investigators who came from PPSC arrived at RTS compound to conduct investigation, a PNP training officer was able to hide his three cars, including a multi-million European car.

“Magaling tong PNP training oficer na ito dahil bago dumating ang mga investigators ay naibaba niya lahat tong 3 kotse niya," the policemen told Mendoza.

The complainants asked that their names be withheld for fear of being harassed by their superiors.