Judge, cop held for extort

TARLAC CITY — A Municipal Circuit Trial Court judge and a police officer in the province were arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for alleged extortion during an entrapment operation in Gerona town the other day.

NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco identified them as Judge Luisito Adaoag, who has jurisdiction over the Tarlac towns of Gerona, Ramos and Pura, and PO3 Eduardo Galicia of Gerona town.

Wycoco said they would be charged with robbery-extortion and graft and if found guilty, they stand to lose their benefits as government employees, including retirement benefits.

Adaoag, 60, is set to retire in five years.

Edmund Arugay of the NBI-National Capital Region said the entrapment operation was conducted Wednesday afternoon following a complaint from a certain Desiree Legario that Adaoag and Galicia were allegedly trying to extort money from her.

In her complaint, Legario, of Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City, said Galicia and a certain SPO1 Antonio Sabadaen arrested her last May 9 by virtue of a warrant issued by Adaoag in connection with an estafa case which Gloria Peralta, who is related by affinity to Glenn Adaoag, a nephew of the judge, filed against her.

Legario was brought to Gerona where she met the plaintiff and was detained for a few days. Adaoag allegedly demanded P20,000 in exchange for the dismissal of the case.

This prompted Legario to seek the assistance of the NBI.

Arresting NBI agents, led by lawyer Romulo Asis, accosted Adaoag and Galicia right inside the judge’s office shortly after they received the bribe money laced with ultraviolet powder.

Adaoag claimed that Legario gave him and Galicia the money for their cigarettes and that it was a gesture of "goodwill."

Adaoag is the second Tarlac judge arrested by NBI operatives in a period of two months for allegedly demanding bribe money from litigants.

Last April, local agents of the NBI nabbed Paniqui Municipal Trial Court Judge Arnel Peralta for allegedly receiving P10,000 in bribe money.

The payoff was reportedly arranged by one Jaime Cupcupin, a security guard at the Paniqui court, with Dr. Luz Imelda Macaraeg, a daughter of a former Tarlac mayor, who was involved in a slander case pending before Peralta’s sala.

A few days after he posted bail, Peralta hanged himself in his residence in Quezon City.