Three officers may be dismissed for corruption over body cameras: Gamboa

November 11, 2019

Three police officers may face dismissal for alleged corruption over procurement of P334 million worth of body cameras for the Philippine National Police.


This was revealed by the PNP's officer-in-charge, Police Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa, during Monday's press briefing at Camp Crame.


Gamboa said the three were Police Major Emerson Sales, Police Major Rholly Caraggayan, and Police Major Angel Beros.


Sales and Caraggayan went absent without leave while Beros remains active in service.


Gamboa was the chairman of the PNP's Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) during that incident.


"During the middle of post-qualification, I found out as chairman of BAC that three of my men in the technical working group were asking money from the proponent. I cause them to be relieved from their position as TWG ( technical working group),  I displaced them but they were charged administratively for doing so," Gamboa said.


"We are trying to prove that government procurement can be clean and here are you putting a very bad example and I promise to the members of the BAC that I’ll dismiss these three police majors and they are undergoing now administrative proceedings," he added.


Gamboa disclosed that one of the eight bidders for body cameras went to his office to complain about the police officers asking around P5 million.


“When the proponent was disqualified, they seemed... pissed because (they) ask (for money) but still got disqualified. When they were disqualified, they complained to me and then from then on I began the investigation,” he said.


“As a matter of fact, I gave a deadline to the summary hearing officer because it has to undergo pre-charge investigation,” he added.


Gamboa said he gave them within this month to finish the investigation for the officers and assured the proponent the PNP will protect them.


Gamboa said the three cops will also face appropriate criminal cases.  Ella Dionisio/DMS