A bold warning about police accountability: seven Caloocan officers are set to lose their badges over the death of a leptospirosis victim who waded through floodwaters to find his detained father. Here’s what happened, and why it matters.
NAPOLCOM announced on Wednesday that all seven officers involved in this Caloocan incident will be dismissed from service. The decision was disclosed by NAPOLCOM Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Ralph Calinisan at a press briefing.
In September, NAPOLCOM filed administrative charges against the seven officers, accusing them of grave misconduct, grave dishonesty, incompetence, oppression, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
The tragedy unfolded during the Southwest Monsoon period, when heavy rains flooded streets for days. Dion dela Rosa spent three days wading through waters in a bid to locate his father, Jayson, who had not returned home in Malabon by July 22.
On July 24, the family asked Caloocan police for help finding Jayson, but the department reportedly had no record of his whereabouts. Caloocan police later said Jayson was arrested only on July 25. On July 25, Dion finally found his father in detention.
Jayson had been detained at a police substation following an arrest tied to a disputed game known as kaya y krus (coin toss).
Tragically, on July 27, Dion developed fever and body pains and later died from a cardiac arrest linked to leptospirosis.
Jayson was released from detention on August 2.
Calinisan asserted that NAPOLCOM found substantial evidence indicating grave misconduct, grave dishonesty, incompetence, oppression, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer by those involved. The violations, he said, stemmed from unlawful detention, falsified documentation, and fabricated criminal charges against Jayson.
“The findings reveal a clear abuse of power and a blatant disregard for due process and human rights. Such actions have no place in the police service,” Calinisan stated.
He emphasized the Commission’s commitment to cleansing the police force of errant personnel and to upholding professionalism, integrity, and respect for the rule of law within the Philippine National Police.
—VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
