Killer cop Nuezca demoted in October due to extortion

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) confirmed Wednesday that policeman Jonel Nuezca was demoted last October over an extortion case he faced in 2014.

On Sunday, Nuezca killed his mother and son neighbors Sonya and Frank Gregorio during a heated argument in Paniqui, Tarlac.

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According to Napolcom Legal Affairs Service chief Chito Bustonera, Nuezca was found guilty of grave misconduct after it was proven he extorted money from two individuals he arrested in 2014.

“Mayroon silang dinampot na dalawang tao (They arrested 2 people) and they brought this person to the police station, in exchange for his liberty they asked for certain amount of money,” Bustonera told ABS-CBN News.

Neil Esponilla, chief of the case management and court representation division at the Napolcom Legal Affairs Service, shared how the killer cop and his cohorts extorted money from the victims.

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“May hinuli silang tricycle driver na may pasahero daw at around 3 in the morning, sa C-5. Dinala nila sa presinto. Nung pumunta ‘yung parents nung isa sa hinuli nila, hiningan sila ng P40,000,” Esponilla told TeleRAdyo in a separate interview Wednesday.

(They apprehended a tricycle driver that had a passenger around 3 in the morning on C-5. They brought them to the precinct. When the parents of one of those they arrested came, they asked for P40,000.)

When the victims’ relatives failed to give the amount, Nuezca and his group eventually agreed to accept P10,000 after their station chief allegedly intervened, he said.

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Bustonera said Nuezca was slapped with a one-rank demotion last October.

Killer cop Nuezca demoted in October due to extortion

However, he was not sure if the Philippine National Police’s Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) executed their order.

“To our knowledge, the PNP implements the decisions naman of the disciplinary authorities, the one responsible for that is the DPRM. Kaya sa rules namin (That’s why under our rules) all should be furnished to the DPRM. The DPRM would be in the best position to issue an implementation,” Bustonera said.

Nuezca was suspended for 10 days in 2010 for reasons not detailed by the authorities.

In 2013, he faced a grave misconduct case, but it was dismissed due to lack of evidence.

In April 2014, the Tarlac killer cop faced less grave neglect of duty for refusing to take a drug test. Records showed that Nuezca had left the testing area without permission from authorities.

In 2016, he faced serious neglect of duty after failing to attend a court hearing as a prosecution witness of a drug case. The case was dropped and closed.

Last year, Nuezca again had grave misconduct (homicide) case filed against him. However, it was dismissed due to a lack of substantial evidence.