Cop sacked for theft of slain couple’s phone

A police officer has been relieved from his post after he allegedly took the phone of an elderly couple who were killed at their home in Cavite in January.

The order removing Police Officer 2 Roman Arcillas from his post at the Philippine National Police-Crime Labora- tory office in Cavite took effect yesterday.

Arcillas was placed on floating status pending results of an investigation into his case, according to Chief Superintendent Aurelio Trampe Jr., head of the PNP-Crime Laboratory.

Arcillas was among police officers who investigated the murder of Bienvenido and Cecilia Muncal in Maragondon on Jan. 12.

Relatives of the victims said on Tuesday that they failed to find Bievenido’s phone, which they believe could provide leads to the identity of the killer.

They said two service identity module cards had been installed on the phone when authorities tracked the gadget’s identity number.

Arcillas reportedly admitted that he was using the phone when the National Bureau of Investigation summoned him. He said he did not intend to steal it.

“I just forgot to turn it over to the investigator,” Arcillas said.

Although the phone has been returned, the victims’ relatives complained that the messages and contact numbers have been deleted.