Cops in extortion try relieved

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Patrocinio Comendador ordered the immediate relief of PO2 Leopoldo Palconit Jr. of the Liloan Police Station and station chief Richard Oliver due to allegations of extortion.

Palconit and Oliver will be temporarily assigned at the Administrative Holding Center of the CPPO pending investigation. Oliver will most likely be under the Provincial Public Safety Company.

“The relief of the chief is to determine if he has lapses over the incident since Palconit is under his command of responsibility,” Comendador said.

The Administrative Holding Center is intended for policemen who are accused of being involved in illegal drugs or other problems. The AHC now has more than 20 policemen.

Insp. Socrates Medello, deputy chief of the Liloan Police Station, will now serve as the officer-in-charge.

In a separate interview, Oliver has yet to receive the order for his relief but he assured to face the investigation.

When asked for statement over the incident, Oliver said he has yet to read the complaints and affidavits of the witnesses.

He further said that the investigation will be an opportunity for him to clear his name.

Meanwhile, a complaint for robbery  extortion was filed yesterday before the Mandaue City Prosecutor’s Office against Palconit and PO2 Gabriel Opoc Jr. by the members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7.

Lawyer Bernard dela Cruz told The Freeman in a text message that Palconit chose not to file a counter-affidavit before the Prosecutor’s Office and instead posted P100,000 bail for his temporary liberty.

Palconit was arrested by the members of the NBI led by dela Cruz through an entrapment operation in front of the Palace of Justice in Mandaue City. Palconit allegedly asked money from Jeppherson Manongas, a resident of Barangay Jubay, Liloan in exchange for not filing a complaint for illegal possession of firearms.

Based on the documents, Manongas claimed that his rented house was raided by the police without a search warrant. The said operation led to the confiscation of Manongas’ licensed firearm.— (FREEMAN)