The preventive suspension of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Sidney Hernia and Police-Anti Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) head Maj. Gen. Ronnie Francis Cariaga has been extended for five more days, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.

“When their ten-day administrative relief lapsed, effective November 17, a new order extending their administrative relief for another five days was issued. So the investigation is still ongoing,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing.

“We need to extend their administrative relief because the investigation of the committee created for that purpose is not yet finished,” she added.

Fajardo said they are hoping that the investigation will be done by Friday.

“Hopefully, by tomorrow, it will be finished. We have initial findings but we are waiting for the result of the investigation to be completed,” she said.

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil previously ordered the preventive suspension of Hernia and Cariaga after four Chinese nationals said they were illegally arrested during a joint operation of the NCRPO and ACG in Century Peak Tower, an alleged Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Manila on October 30.

Hernia and 14 of his personnel were also accused of extortion, allegations which he earlier denied.

She said that officers under Cariaga who adjusted the closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera during their operation were under restrictive custody.

“We don’t want to preempt the ongoing investigation, but clearly the mere act they adjusted the CCTV camera, regardless of their justification and excuses about how they don’t want to be seen naked, does not exculpate them from liability. So we are looking into the kind of case to charge against them,” she said, stressing that the raid in Century Peak Tower was a legitimate police operation. Jaspearl Tan/DMS