Makati cop arrested for extortion

The head of the Theft and Robbery Division of the Makati City police station was arrested by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) last Wednesday evening for allegedly extorting money in exchange for the release of a suspected car thief.

Napolcom Inspection Monitoring and Investigation Service (IMIS) Chief Jacinto Cabus said both administrative and criminal charges had been filed against Senior Police Officer 3 Dioscoro Asinas.

Cabus said Asinas threw away his 30 years in the police service when he allegedly attempted to extort money from Remuel Gacus in exchange for the release of his nephew.

The Makati City police sub-station reportedly apprehended the nephew, who was caught tinkering with a parked motor vehicle early Monday morning. Although the car owner decided not to press any charges, the suspect thief was kept in jail until Wednesday.

"There was no complainant and no case filed before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office," Jacinto said.

Napolcom would file the administrative charges against Asinas for grave misconduct which may result to his dismissal from the service. If found guilty, he could also be deprived of his benefits as a police officer.

Asinas allegedly demanded P10,000 for the release of the suspect. But when Gacus arrived with only P2,000 at the Makati police station the other day, the police official agreed to P7,000.

The uncle sought the help of Napolcom-IMIS and set up an entrapment operation. They prepared P500 bills with ultra violet powder.

Gacus handed the marked money to Asinas, who placed the money in his drawer.

He was taken to the Southern Police District-Scene of the Crime Operatives (SPD-SOCO) for an examination and was found positive with the presence of ultra violet powder.

The Makati City police said it would investigate Asinas for the possible filing of a criminal case against him.

He was the head of the Theft and Robbery section for nearly two years.

Asinas will be replaced by Inspector Marlin Almoguera.

The Makati police leadership has not been remiss in reminding police officers to avoid corruption.

Dismissal For Caloocan Cop

Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. ordered yesterday the dismissal from the police service of a Caloocan City policeman found guilty of conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

"It always hurts me to discharge a police officer, but our primordial concern are the people whom we are mandated to serve," Franco told The STAR of his dismissal from the police service of PO1 Erwin Binuya.

Binuya was caught by his fellow police officers "mingling, consorting and socializing" with gambling den personnel at A. Bonifacio Market in Caloocan City on Oct. 7, 2003 while still in his Type B uniform.

Binuya’s case was compounded with his arrest and detention at the Caloocan City Jail on Jan. 6, 2004 on illegal drug use charges.

Senior Superintendent Donato Orio, the summary hearing officer, said Binuya seriously compromised his position as a police officer and exhibited himself as morally "unworthy" to remain as a member of the police organization.

"Being a disgrace to the organization and pursuant to regulations, he deserves the penalty of dismissal from the service," Orio said. — With Nikko Dizon, Pete Laude