Former HPG Official Faces Charges Over Alleged P7M Bribe
A former HPG official in in Parañaque City is facing administrative charges after allegedly accepting a P7 million bribe.
A former officer of the Highway Patrol Group-Special Operations Division (HPG-SOD) is now facing administrative charges after allegedly accepting a P7 million bribe from a suspect arrested during an operation in Parañaque City.
According to the National Police Commission (Napolcom), former HPG-SOD chief Police Colonel Rommel Estolano has been charged with grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
The case was formally filed by Napolcom’s Inspection Monitoring and Investigation Services, which is now preparing to assign a hearing officer who will summon the respondent.
The controversy stemmed from an incident last June 13, when HPG personnel stopped an SUV driven by businessman JJ Javier for a traffic violation. Upon inspection, the officers reportedly discovered several firearms inside the vehicle. Javier was then taken into police custody.
However, five HPG officers involved in the arrest claimed that Estolano intervened and gave special treatment to the suspect. They alleged that the former HPG official accepted P7 million in exchange for Javier’s release.
Adding to their frustration, the five officers who conducted the arrest were relieved from their posts by Estolano. Feeling wronged, they sought assistance from Napolcom, which led to the filing of the case.
Napolcom Vice Chairman and Executive Officer Atty. Rafael Calinisan assured that the investigation will be completed within 60 days, along with the release of a resolution.
The case has raised concerns about corruption within the police force, especially since the officers who carried out their duty ended up being punished while a high-ranking official allegedly benefited from unlawful dealings.