Rookie cop tagged in extortion charged

MANILA, Philippines - A rookie Marikina policeman had been involved in “bangketa” operations prior to his arrest for extortion in Mandaluyong City last week, a police official said yesterday.

The term bangketa refers to the act of bribing a policeman before he can bring an arrested suspect to the precinct.

Police Officer 1 Jaime Jan Brian Nicabera has been charged before the Marikina prosecutor’s office, city police chief Senior Superintendent Vincent Calanoga said.

Calanoga said the suspect is also facing an administrative case for grave misconduct.

Nicabera, who was assigned at the Police Community Precinct 5 in Marikina, had arrested a man for possession of marijuana leaves on June 17.

The suspect was taken to the police station in Barangay Malanday where the duty desk officer prepared the charge sheet and other documents for the filing of a case.

Calanoga said the desk officer left briefly to go to the toilet. Upon his return, Nicabera and the suspect were nowhere to be found.

Nicabera is believed to have released the suspect in exchange for money.

The policeman has been disarmed following his arrest by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) under Director Benjamin Magalong for allegedly extorting P15,000 from a sibling of a drug suspect in Mandaluyong City on July 15.

However, 3rd Assistant City Prosecutor Queruben Garcia ordered the release of Nicabera for further investigation.

He set the preliminary investigation of the case on July 30.

Records of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) showed that Nicabera has been suspended 10 times for simple neglect of duty and less grave neglect of duty for the past two years.

NCRO officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Diosdado Valeroso said that under National Police Commission Circular 2007-001, the 10 cases filed against Nicabera could not be used as grounds for his dismissal from the police service because they don’t fall under grave offenses.

Under the circular, a recidivist police officer is one who has been penalized for a grave offense, charged administratively at least three times, found culpable in at least one charge and meted a penalty not lower than 60 days suspension.

Nicabera was relieved from the Eastern Police District and reassigned to the NCRPO’s Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit effective July 16.

A police official told The STAR that the extortion case of Nicabera carries a maximum penalty of dismissal from police service.

“He should be dismissed from the service so other rookie policemen would not follow his bad example,” Calanoga said.