‘Ninja cop’ in assailed Antipolo drug raid dismissed

Gamboa said de Guzman was initially penalized with subsequent findings of guilt for grave misconduct satisfied all requirements of due process to impose the penalty of dismissal. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, on Monday ordered the dismissal of Lt. Joven de Guzman, the police officer who led a controversial anti-illegal drug operation in Antipolo, Rizal last May.

“I have ordered the dismissal from police service of Police Lieutenant Joven de Guzman of Antipolo City Police Station who led a team of seven PNP personnel that figured in a highly irregular activity in Antipolo City early this year and were recommended for dismissal by the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) as a consequence of their actions,” Gamboa told reporters in a press conference in Camp Crame.

Gamboa said de Guzman was initially penalized with subsequent findings of guilt for grave misconduct satisfied all requirements of due process to impose the penalty of dismissal.

The embattled police officer was initially recommended to be meted with a 59-day suspension, an action which was opposed by the Internal Affairs Service which recommended his dismissal.

Gamboa also ordered a thorough review of de Guzman’s case.

On May 4, de Guzman and two other police officers reportedly shot the vehicle of a certain Arnold Gramaje Jr. after he declined the cops’ order to get out of his car.

The victim sped off his car and sought refuge in his house which the three cops raided and took away cash amounting to PHP30,000 and some gadgets.

De Guzman is also one of the cops accused of recycling more than 160 kilos of shabu and extorting millions of peso from an arrested drug lord in Pampanga in 2013.

Aside from de Guzman, Gamboa also ordered the start of summary dismissal proceedings against the three policemen who were caught selling drugs in Parang, Maguindanao last week.

They were identified as Executive M/Sgt. Monger Nasar Aradias, deputy chief of police of Marantao town, 47; S/Sgt. Fahmil Bangon Como, 39; and Pat. Sandali Magundacan Manalao, 35.

“I would like to emphasize that the PNP Internal Cleansing that we are implementing will be swift, decisive and uncompromising especially against personnel involved in drugs,” Gamboa said.

The three arrested cops were caught after selling a sachet of shabu to a poseur buyer. The operating units were surprised to know later that the three people they arrested are policemen assigned in Marantao, Lanao del Sur.

The chief of police of Marantao was earlier relieved for command responsibility.