MANILA, Philippines - Three Quezon City policemen and a civilian were arrested yesterday for allegedly trying to extort P120,000 in exchange for not arresting a fugitive.
According to initial reports, Police Officer 3 Joseph Merin, 47; PO3 Aprilito Santos, 41; PO3 Ramil Dazo, 42, and Gaudencio Yu, 49 went to the house of Illuminada Leetiong along Ayungin street in Barangay Talipapa at around 1:30 p.m. looking for her son, Raymond.
The four men were in a private vehicle, a Honda City (MQC-88), had introduced themselves as police officers but were in civilian clothes and refused to present identification cards, probers said.
The suspects then allegedly demanded P120,000 from the family for not serving the arrest warrant on Raymond, reportedly wanted for qualified theft and violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Armed with handguns, the suspects allegedly coerced the family to produce the cash. The elder Leetiong then immediately went out to withdraw money with her other son, Rodolfo, but went to a barangay official for advice.
Superintendent Danilo Mendoza, Talipapa police station commander, set a trap. Rodolfo reportedly handed the P15,000 marked money to Dazo at around 2 p.m.
The three policemen’s identification cards, handguns and mobile phones were confiscated.