The Manila Police District on Thursday confirmed it is now investigating 78 of their own policemen due to alleged planting of evidence and extortion in different cases.
“There were incidents reported to us regarding planting of evidence or extortion. Almost 78 MPD personnel are being investigated,” said MPD chief Senior Supt. Joel Coronel in a radio interview.
Last Thursday, a news report said 25 MPD operatives were involved in planting evidence during a raid at a hotel room in Manila last November, where four senior citizens were arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs.
One of the senior citizens died while in detention owing to the heat inside the MPD jail cell.
The case against the senior citizens has been dismissed, but an automatic review by the Department of Justice is being conducted, that is why the senior citizens are still in jail.
Coronel assured that police authorities are now checking on the condition of the remaining three senior citizens, as well as other MPD detainees.
“In fact, there is an agreement between the MPD and the Manila Health Office that all detainees are being inspected and checked up so that their situation is known,” said Coronel.
The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption has also appealed to authorities to suspend the operations of the police “until such time they have cleaned up their organization.”
“If possible they suspend their war on drugs, conduct a total cleansing, so that this will not be a cause of national embarrassment and to have peace of mind for us,” said Boy Evangelista, spokesman of the VACC.