Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) reaffirmed its strong stance on internal cleansing after two members of the Pampanga Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) were arrested for their alleged involvement in a robbery in Mabalacat City on the evening of July 16, 2025.

Initial reports stated that five armed individuals wearing black jackets, bonnets, and face masks stormed a printing shop in Brgy. Tabun around 10:00 PM. The suspects allegedly tied the victims with cable straps, dismantled the shop’s CCTV system, and accused them of drug involvement before fleeing with nine high-end smartphones aboard a black, unregistered Toyota Vios.

Police follow-up operations led to the recovery of the abandoned getaway vehicle in Brgy. San Vicente, Sacobia, Bamban, Tarlac. Inside the vehicle, authorities found a document linking it to PDEU personnel. Subsequent coordination with the unit resulted in the arrest of two operatives and the recovery of the stolen items.

The suspects were informed of their constitutional rights and are now facing appropriate criminal charges.

PRO3 Regional Director PBGEN Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr. strongly condemned the incident and reiterated the organization’s zero-tolerance policy on misconduct.

“We do not and will never tolerate abuse of power by anyone in our ranks,” he said. “This incident only strengthens our resolve to cleanse our organization of erring personnel and uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.”

He also lauded the Mabalacat City Police Station for their swift and impartial response.