'Lacion Cop belies extort try

Consolacion police chief S/Insp. Claro Benatiro denied he was trying to extort money from the live-in partner of a drug suspect during a National Bureau of Investigation operation near a drugstore in barangay Cansaga, Consolacion town, last Thursday afternoon.

Benatiro yesterday admitted that he was with PO2 Anthony Aguisanda at the parking lot of Mercury drugstore in barangay Cansaga but denied that they were there to extort money from Mary Ann Flores, the live-in partner of Ramil Godinez, a drug suspect his men arrested last October 7.

He said that he was there last Thursday after Aguisanda told him about a drug transaction to happen in the area after an informant called him up.

He decided to use his own Kia car because their patrol car and multicab were already identified by the people in the said area. Upon reaching there, he was surprised when Flores met them.

Sensing something amiss he left the area and went back to the police station and decided to have somebody monitor the place instead. He denied claims that he was supposed to get P10,000 from Flores, who tried to get into his car.

Benatiro also denied telling his errand boy Jerry Perez to get the P10,000 marked money from Flores for the release of the motorcycle the Consolacion police seized from Godinez during his arrest.

Meanwhile, Cebu Provincial Police Office director Vicente Loot yesterday said his office will conduct a separate investigation against Benatiro and Aguisanda which will be conducted by the Provincial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau and the Provincial Anti Illegal Special Drugs Operation Task Force. - Flor Z. Perolina