MANILA (PNA) — The Office of the Ombudsman ordered on Friday the dismissal from the service of seven Manila policemen for the unlawful arrest of workers and guests in a KTV bar in Quiapo and extorting money in exchange for their release.

Ordered dismissed for grave misconduct were SPO2 Napoleon de Ramos, SPO1 Erwin Bacungan, SPO1 Noel Halili, PO3 Arnel Capuno, PO3 Marian Esmas, PO2 Lutgardo Lising and PO2 Christopher Batoon, all of the Manila Police District (MPD) Detective Beat Patrol Unit (MPDDBPU).

In an eight-page consolidated decision, the Ombudsman said that "there is substantial evidence showing grave police abuse committed by the respondents," and that "the respondents' accounts of the surrounding circumstances thereof to justify their actions are not credible. They are easy to be concocted, especially by policemen like them who are armed and with arresting powers."

The decision noted that no cellphone camera or alleged nude photos of the supposed dancer were introduced by the policemen as evidence.

The Ombudsman also found "the actions of respondent members of the DDBPU to be highly detestable and grave misconduct considering the positions they hold. Policemen are supposed to be the protectors of peaceful citizens instead of being their predators and oppressors."

In a separate resolution, the Ombudsman also ordered the filing of criminal charges against the policemen for "five counts of arbitrary detention, robbery-extortion and robbery with force upon things."

The case arose from a complaint filed by Roger Tamayo, owner of Apollo 14th Disco KTV Bar, club workers Larry Barba and Roel Suya, security guards Antonio Nicumpal and Jomari Badua, and Bishop David Nemenzo.

The complainants claimed that on May 19, 2007, the respondent-policemen barged into the club looking for Tamayo and, failing to find him, instead seized Barba and Suya who were then on their respective duties as maintenance man and waiter.

Two of the policemen also allegedly forced open the door into Tamayo's office, and took with them an 18-karat gold bracelet worth P32,000 and P2,800 cash money.

The policemen also purportedly entered the Attraction Music Bar which is right in front of Apollo 14th Disco KTV Bar, and proceeded to arrest Nemenzo whom they accused of being the club's floor manager.

Nemenzo claimed that he was picked up despite revealing his identity as a Catholic priest and explaining that he was there merely to visit his friend Tamayo.

Barba, Suya and Nemenzo were released in the afternoon of May 22, 2007, upon order of a Manila inquest prosecutor who found insufficient evidence to file charges against them.

On the other hand, Nicumpal and Badua, security guards of nearby Crown Theater Mall, were disarmed and arrested after they went to investigate the commotion at the two clubs.

They were released the next day, only after paying the policemen P5,000, the Ombudsman said.

For their part, the policemen claimed that they received a tip about the alleged nightly live nude shows at Apollo 14th.

Acting on the report, they went to the club unarmed, posing as customers, and even managed to take pictures and videos of the nude show.

Afterwards, they effected the arrests, informing the complainants of their constitutional rights, and brought them to the police station for further processing and booking.