TOP COP ARRESTED. Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao serve the arrest warrants for two counts of syndicated estafa against police director Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon (signing) inside his office in Camp SK Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao, on Wednesday night (March 30, 2023). Guyguyon will be temporarily detained at the Camp Crame custodial unit in Quezon City pending the outcome of his cases. (Courtesy of CIDG-BARMM)
MANILA – Former Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) police chief Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon will be detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters custodial unit after he was charged with two counts of syndicated estafa.
PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said it is for security purposes as Guyguyon remains an active officer of the PNP, pending the outcome of the cases, but assured they will “communicate with the proper courts.”
“I think hopefully he will arrive today. He will be escorted by our PNP from BARMM and he will be committed temporarily at our custodial unit,” Azurin told reporters in a chance interview at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Friday.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) BARMM tracker team served the arrest warrants issued by two Quezon City Regional Trial Courts and which were received by Guyguyon at his office in Camp SK Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao del Norte on Wednesday night.
The warrants were issued by judges Kathleen Rosario Espinosa and Catherine Manodon on May and December last year, respectively.
No bail was recommended.
According to Azurin, the embattled police officer had previously expressed his willingness to voluntarily surrender upon being notified of the standing warrants against him.
“Guyguyon definitely surrendered upon learning that he has a standing warrant of arrest… (but) he was not aware that he has a standing warrant that was issued in December. Upon notifying him, sabi niya (he said), ‘Sir, I'll voluntarily surrender before I proceed to Manila’,” Azurin said.
The case originated when Guyguyon was still assigned at the PNP Aviation Security Group and was among the incorporators of a financing company.
The complaint went thru preliminary investigation but Guyguyon allegedly was not informed about it and did not receive any summons to answer the allegations.
Azurin said Guyguyon will be replaced by Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, PNP deputy director for operations.
“Medyo may stint naman siya (Nobleza) doon. Hindi siya gaanong foreign sa (He has a previous stint there so he is not foreign to) BARMM. So, I know he can deliver equally or better than kung ano yung iniwanan ni (what was left behind by) John Guyguyon,” he said. (PNA)
