The Pampanga-based police officer who allegedly figured in illegal drug operations in Central Luzon and then was linked to a fake drug bust in Antipolo City has been dismissed, an official said Monday.
Philippine National Police Officer-in-Charge Archie Gamboa said Police Lt. Joven de Guzman was dropped from the rolls for committing an administrative offense arising from the Antipolo City fiasco.
“De Guzman was initially penalized, with the subsequent findings of grave misconduct satisfying all the requirements to impose the penalty of dismissal,” Gamboa said in a statement.
“I have ordered the dismissal of De Guzman, of the 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 as a consequence of their actions.”
De Guzman was among seven policemen, three of whom were assigned in Pampanga, who was implicated in a drug operation in Inarawan, Antipolo City, on May 4, 2019.
Before De Guzman’s dismissal, three of his comrades who also figured in the irregular drug operations in Mexico, Pampanga, during the incumbency of PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde were also dismissed.
They were identified as Msgt Donald Roque, Msgt Rommel Vital and Corporal Romeo Encarnacio Guerrero, all lieutenants of Albayalde, then provincial director of Pampanga.
Gamboa said De Guzman was allowed to explain his side during the investigation, but he failed to absolve himself.
He said a copy of the dismissal would be handed to De Guzman, and he had 15 days to reply.
“He has, I think, 10 or 15 days to reply and if he doesn’t, then the dismissal becomes effective,” Gamboa said.