FILE

Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Chief Police Brigadier General Romeo Macapaz has been ordered to serve a preventive suspension of at least 90 days. The National Police Commission (Napolcom) imposed the sanction as part of ongoing administrative proceedings related to the controversial case of the missing sabungeros (cockfight enthusiasts).

According to Napolcom’s ruling, the suspension was issued under provisions allowing disciplinary authorities or the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to place a respondent under preventive suspension while a case is pending. This measure may be applied after the formal filing of a case but before the submission of the complainant’s position paper or the conduct of a statutory hearing.

As explained by NAPOLCOM vice chairman and executive officer Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan, preventive suspension is not a penalty but a precautionary measure. It can be enforced for up to 90 days under specific circumstances, such as when the charge is considered grave and evidence of guilt appears strong. Another ground is when there is reason to believe that the respondent is attempting to harass or influence complainants or witnesses, or tamper with evidence.

The preventive suspension of Macapaz underscores the seriousness of the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of several sabungeros, a case that has drawn significant public attention and calls for accountability within the law enforcement ranks.

Napolcom’s decision reflects the agency’s mandate to maintain integrity and impartiality during the course of disciplinary proceedings, ensuring that no undue influence can affect the outcome of the investigation.