1,500 cops monitored for illegal activities

MANILA, Philippines — Around 1,500 officers are being monitored for their alleged involvement in illegal activities.

Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo, Philippine National Police Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) director, said the police officers are on their watchlist for reported involvement in extortion, illegal drugs and protection of suspects, among other irregularities.

Malayo said 356 of the police officers are officials, including a chief superintendent, who is reportedly a protector of illegal gambling. He refused to give details, saying investigations are ongoing.

The CITF has received 10,381 text messages on complaints about the activities of rogue police officers.

Most of the complaints involve police officers in Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Central Luzon.

In Northern Mindanao, Superintendent Hersan Mojica, officer-in-charge of the regional Highway Patrol Group (HPG), was relieved from his post yesterday after two of his men were arrested for extortion.

Senior Inspector Rolando Rigat, HPG-Iligan chief, Senior Police Officer 2 Crisanto Bernardo as well as civilian auxiliaries Mac Harvey Abad and Sidney Canete were arrested in an entrapment at a police station in Barangay Poblacion on Wednesday. They were caught receiving P3,000 in marked money from a  motorist whom they accosted supposedly for a traffic violation.