The Philippine National Police- Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) arrested two police officers in separate operations last Saturday for engaging in illegal cockfighting and using a detainee as personal driver.

Police Colonel Ronald Lee, IMEG director, identified the arrested cops as Captain Wilfredo Dizon Jr. , deputy chief of the Norzagaray Municipal Police Station in Bulacan, and Police Staff Sergeant Sherwin Salazar from Pangasinan Police Provincial Office.

Lee said Dizon was arrested in front of a police station around 3:25 pm after they found a detainee inside of his vehicle who became the cop’s driver.

The detainee, Resty Cabacang, 49, who is facing serious physical injuries charges, was also arrested.

Lee said they found out Cabacang was missing during an accounting of prisoners in Norzagaray Municipal Police Station.

“We’re conducting an accounting of prisoners in the said police station in coordination with the Bulacan police headquarters. Again, this is a grave offense which will not be tolerated by the PNP leadership,” Lee said.

They are investigating how many times Cabacang drove for the Norzagaray deputy police chief when he was supposed to be in jail.

He will recommend pre-charge investigation for grave misconduct against Dizon.

Last Thursday, the chief of Argao Police was also arrested for allowing detainees to go out of jail in exchange for sleeping with him and being his assistant.

The two police officials will be facing charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery and violation of Article 156 of the Revised Penal Code which refers to the ‘Delivery of Prisoners from Jail.’

Lee said Salazar was arrested inside a cockpit arena in Tayug, Pangasinan around 8:30 pm after undercover IMEG officers caught him engaging in illegal cockfight activities.

Two others were arrested as cockfighting is only allowed in licensed cockpits during Sundays, legal holidays and during local fiestas for not more than three days under the law.

Lee said they are still investigating other policemen involved in the illegal gambling operation in Tayug.

Salazar will be facing administrative charges for grave misconduct.

“We’re intensifying our monitoring of policemen involved in all forms of illegal activities and assure the public that we will apprehend them as soon as we have built enough evidence against them. We must make it clear that (Police) Gen. (Archie Francisco) Gamboa has a strict zero tolerance policy against police officers who continue to tarnish the good reputation and image of majority of the police force,” Lee said. Ella Dionisio/DMS