Former SOD Chief Denies Taking P7 Million Bribes
MANILA — The former chief of the Special Operations Division (SOD) of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) has firmly denied allegations of accepting P7 million in bribes related to the handling of a high-profile case. The accusations claim he received money for special treatment and manipulating legal proceedings.
Col. Rommel Estolano, the ex-SOD head, released a statement Monday evening addressing the charges after five HPG officers filed a formal complaint against him last week before the National Police Commission (Napolcom) in Quezon City. The complainants accused him of grave misconduct, dishonesty, dereliction of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Denial of Bribery Accusations
“To all my relatives, friends, acquaintances, and to the public, I would like to make it clear that the allegations made against me by my fellow government officials are completely false,” Estolano said in Filipino.
He specifically denied receiving P2 million allegedly used to bribe a prosecutor in Parañaque, which was supposedly meant to aid an accused individual. In addition, Estolano rejected claims that he accepted P4 million to weaken evidence submitted to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
Defense of Legal Counsel and Integrity
Estolano also addressed accusations involving three members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, who reportedly handed him large sums of money in front of other people. “This brutal accusation destroys the dignity of these professionals and undermines their credibility as lawyers by suggesting that they simply settled the matter with someone like me,” he emphasized.
Refuting Claims of Special Treatment
The former official further denied receiving P1 million in exchange for special treatment and temporary liberty granted to the accused, J.J. Café Javier. He stressed that such special treatment could not happen within the HPG-SOD compound, noting that what was described as special treatment was simply the detainee exercising constitutional rights to meet with his lawyer, doctor, and family.
Estolano pointed out that police officers on duty routinely conduct inspections and submit reports on detainees’ whereabouts, making the alleged incidents inside the compound impossible.
Accusations Seen as Revenge
According to Estolano, the complainants aimed to damage his reputation out of revenge. He also claimed they used the Napolcom complaint to cover their lack of understanding of the law. “They want to ruin my name by dragging me into baseless accusations,” he said.
Community members and officials noted that this case highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in maintaining integrity amid internal conflicts. The ongoing investigation by Napolcom will determine the veracity of the claims and the accountability of those involved.
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