PCP chief, 2 others nabbed for extortion

A Manila police official and his two civilian cohorts were nabbed for robbery-extortion by operatives of the Manila Police District (MPD) during an entrapment operation in Malate, Manila Tuesday afternoon.

MPD’s District Police Intelligence Unit (DPIU) head, Chief Inspector Joselito Sta. Teresa, identified the arrested suspects as Inspector Rodel Borbe, 33, chief of the P. Ocampo police community precinct (PCP) of the Malate police station; and civilians Rudy de la Cruz, 43, and Sonny Recuerdo, 29, both of Arellano street in Malate.

Another policeman, identified as Police Officer 1 (PO1) Edgardo Lacson, also of the P. Ocampo PCP, managed to elude arrest and is now the subject of a manhunt.

According to Sta. Teresa, the Department of Justice (DOJ) sought police assistance following the complaint of one Emma Salonga, 52, that she was being extorted by a group of policemen for the release of her brother Rodolfo, 49.

Sta. Teresa learned that Rodolfo and a Korean national were nabbed for possession of shabu by operatives of the P. Ocampo PCP last Monday morning.

The unnamed Korean got off the hook after allegedly paying the arresting policemen an unspecified amount. Lacson then allegedly went to Emma’s condominium unit and demanded P50,000 for the release of her brother Rodolfo.

Sta. Teresa immediately set up an entrapment operation, telling the complainant to give the money to Lacson in front of the Everwin Tower Hotel in Malate.

It was Borbe and his two civilian cohorts, including Rodolfo, who surfaced at the agreed pay-off site, according to Sta. Teresa.

DPIU operatives pounced on the suspects after receiving the marked money from Emma.

Charges of robbery-extortion are now being prepared against the arrested suspects, while a manhunt was launched against Lacson who failed to report for work yesterday.