The chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), PMGen. Sidney Sultan Hernia, and the Director of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cyber Crime Group (ACG), PMGen. Ronnie Francis Cariaga were relieved from their posts for ten days following a POGO raid at a Manila hotel.
The administrative relief of the two chiefs was ordered by PNP Chief Rommel Marbil on Wednesday amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged scam hub that was raided at the Century Peak Tower Hotel.
It can be recalled that three ACG officers were also relieved from their posts for repositioning the hotel’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras during the raid on October 31.
Hernia, along with 14 other officers involved in the raid, was previously accused of extortion by Chinese citizens among the 69 foreigners apprehended during the operation. The detainees claimed that the officers attempted to extort P1 million from each of them in exchange for a lawyer and their freedom.
The raid, referred to as an operation against the "mother of all scam hubs," was conducted by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group under cyber warrants.
PNP spokesperson BGen. Jean Fajardo maintained that the raid was legitimate.
