Caloocan cop in hot water for illegal arrest, robbery

MANILA, Philippines - A police officer is facing criminal charges for allegedly illegally arresting two laborers and extorting money from them in Caloocan City last Sunday.

Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Eric Javier also ordered the filing of administrative charges Friday against Police Officer 3 Felix Tan, assigned at the Caloocan City police station.

Criminal charges for robbery, extortion and illegal arrest were filed against Tan last week before the Caloocan City prosecutor’s office.

Javier reminded policemen under his command that he is serious in “cleansing the NPD’s ranks of misfits and scalawags in uniform.”

SPO1 Marlon Zabala said Tan and two unidentified companions arrested Richard Orante and Raffy Cawaling at their house in Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City at 1 a.m. last March 8, telling the laborers that their neighbors were complaining about the noise they made.

Orante and Cawaling went out of the house and were immediately handcuffed by Tan and his two companions. Tan went into their house and conducted a search.

Despite protest from the laborers’ housemates, Ranier del Mundo and Jessie Deloso, Tan allegedly went to the second floor where he reportedly took a cell phone, an MP3 player, a portable DVD player and P6,000.

Del Mundo and Deloso tried to stop Tan, who pointed his gun at the two men and told them not to intervene because he was only taking the items as “evidence.”

Tan detained Orante at the Caloocan police station and reportedly told Cawaling to produce P5,000 for Orante’s liberty

Cawaling was able to gather only P4,000. After allegedly receiving the money, Tan released Orante. – Pete Laude