By AARON RECUENCO
The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has approved the preventive suspension of Police Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz, former director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), who led the arrest of whistleblower Julie Patidongan’s two brothers in Cambodia last month.
The action stems from a complaint filed by Ellakim Patidongan, alleging that Macapaz obstructed the investigation into the disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts—known as “missing sabungeros”—by confiscating and tampering with the brothers’ cellphones following their arrest.
Elakim was the one who withdrew from the ATM account of missing sabungero Melbert John Santos, while his brother Jose was seen in a CCTV camera as among those who escorted another missing sabungero, Michael Bautista, being escorted before the latter’s disappearance.
Police records revealed that Jose was convicted of a criminal case while Elakim was collared for using a passport with a fake name.
On Aug. 14, of few days after they were transported back to the country, Elakim filed a case against Macapaz.
He claimed that the police general deleted some messages in his cell phones and did not return some memory cards containing alleged evidence pertaining to the missing sabungeros probe.
In granting the request of Patidongan, Napolcom, in its resolution, said the argument was meritorious and cited Napolcom Resolution 2016-002 as the basis of Macapaz’s 90-day suspension.
Macapaz was slapped with cases of grave misconduct, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer, including alleged collusion with police officers involved in the alleged killings of the missing sabungeros.
The Napolcom said the charges would constitute severe violations of the norms expected of members of the Philippine National Police, if substantiated.
The Resolution, however, emphasized that the grant of preventive suspension is not tantamount to a finding of culpability on the part of Macapaz.
“The imposition of preventive suspension is not a penalty, but a protective and procedural measure intended to preserve the integrity of the investigation,” it said.
The Resolution was signed on Aug. 22. Based on the document, only then PNP chief Nicolas Torre III, as ex-officio Commissioner, did not sign it.
In a press briefing after the relief of Macapaz as director of the CIDG, then PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said it was Macapaz who worked to track down the Patidongan brothers.
He also investigated how the two were able to leave the country amid the missing sabungeros investigation.
