Maritime cops nabbed for extortion

MANILA, Philippines — The chief of the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group in Masbate and his two men were arrested yesterday for allegedly extorting money from an operator of a fishing vessel.

Maj. John Murray Cutaran, chief of the 502nd Maritime police station in Masbate City, and his men were arrested in a sting in Pier Site, Barangay Bapor, according to Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, chief of the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group.

“The operation was conducted based on intelligence reports regarding the alleged extortion activities of Maj. Cutaran and his men,” Lee said in a statement.

The officers were collared after reportedly receiving P200,000 from an operator of an impounded fishing vessel.

Cutaran and his men reportedly intercepted F/B RAV and arrested its skipper Juquin Nemeno and his 28 crewmembers.

They reportedly contacted the owner of the vessel from Cebu and demanded P200,000 in exchange for the release of the boat and its crewmembers.