Deputy court sheriff faces extortion raps

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have arrested a deputy court sheriff in an entrapment operation in Quezon City over the weekend for alleged extortion.

Ramon Pichay, 44, a deputy sheriff at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court branch 96, is accused of extorting P150,000 from a businessman.

Pichay allegedly demanded money from Benjie Bibit, who won five buses in an auction for P1.4 million.

Bibit complained to the NBI when Pichay allegedly refused to release the award certificate for the buses unless Bibit paid up. "He (Pichay) asked for a hefty sum. He said he would share the money with a few other people," according to Assistant Regional Director Oscar Embido, of the NBI-Anti-Organized Crime Division.

Bibit had won a public bidding for five buses previously owned by Footprints Bus Company. "Bibit was the highest bidder and during the auction he agreed to purchase the five passenger bus units for P280,000 each or a total of P1.4 million," Embido said.

Pichay now faces charges of robbery/extortion and graft. Bail was set by the prosecutor at P12,000. — Evelyn Macairan