2 cops in extort raps surrender

MANILA, Philippines - Two policemen from the Southern Police District (SPD) accused of extorting P40,000 from an alleged drug peddler in Muntinlupa City surrendered Tuesday.

Police Officer 2 Regor Octaviano and Police Officer 1 Dennis Quinto surfaced before National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Leonardo Espina. They vowed to face the charges against them.

The surrender of Octaviano and Quinto was facilitated by Quezon City Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo, according to Espina.

The NCRPO chief confiscated the badge of the two police officers and placed them under preventive suspension to prevent them from influencing the investigation of their case.

Octaviano and Quinto, along with four other SPD policemen, arrested Jennilin Rodriguez and a companion on trumped-up drug charges. The policemen allegedly demanded P40,000 in exchange for their release.

Operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Group had earlier arrested PO2 Herminigildo Gajeto Jr. and PO1 Ryan Manga after allegedly receiving P12,000 from the relatives of Rodriguez during an entrapment in Parañaque City.

The two others, PO2s Michel Ramos and Domingo Abarico, remain at-large.

Espina said he will place the two on absent without leave (AWOL) status if they fail to surface in the coming days.

He ordered Senior Superintendent Mitch Filart, head of the NCRPO’s Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, to expedite the summary dismissal proceedings against the six SPD policemen.

Filart said the suspects have been involved in administrative cases in the past.