Seven Caloocan City police officers have been ordered dismissed from service by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) over the death of an Altar Boy who contracted leptospirosis after spending days wading through floodwaters to look for his detained father.

In a press conference, Napolcom Commissioner Atty. Rafael Calinisan signed the dismissal order, stating that the ruling was unanimous. The decision comes four months after hearings on the administrative case involving two police officials and five other personnel from Caloocan’s Station 2.

“We unanimously decided that all those involved in this Caloocan incident will be dismissed from the police service,” Calinisan announced.

In September, the Napolcom filed administrative charges against the seven police officers for grave misconduct, grave dishonesty, incompetence, oppression, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer. Meanwhile, Jayson Dela Rosa filed multiple cases, such as detention, grave scandal, and incriminating an innocent person.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by dela Rosa, who was arrested on July 22 for allegedly pocketing a perfume bottle from a convenience store—a matter that was immediately resolved when the item was returned, and no charges were filed by the establishment.

Despite this, police officers reportedly detained Dela Rosa for three days and later accused him of violating Presidential Decree 1602, which penalizes illegal gambling.

According to Napolcom’s initial investigation, Dela Rosa was released only on July 25 after being coerced into admitting to alleged fabricated charges.

His family, unaware of his arrest, spent days searching for him.

At the height of heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and successive tropical cyclones, Dela Rosa’s 20-year-old son, Dion Angelo, went out into the flooded streets of Caloocan and Malabon in search of his missing father.

For three days, Dion waded through contaminated floodwaters, unaware that his father was being detained in a Caloocan substation over an alleged minor gambling offense, kara y krus.

Dion eventually contracted severe leptospirosis and later died.

Jayson, who was released on August 2, denied any involvement in gambling and said the family had never been informed of his arrest.

At the same press conference, Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David expressed gratitude to Napolcom for its swift action.

“Nagkakaroon tayo ng pag-asa na ang ating pulis ay totoong alagad ng batas, [at] hindi sila alagad ng kawalan ng katarungan,” David said.

Dion’s father also thanked authorities for taking action, but stressed that systemic reforms are needed.

“Hindi ko direkta na sinisisi ang kapulisan sa pagkawala ng anak ko pero para sa akin po sana hindi na maulit kasi tiwala naman ako sa mga pulis, sistema lang ang nagiging problema,” he said.