Summary hearing sought for 3 cops accused of extortion

The Internal Affairs Service of the city police recently recommended a summary hearing for the three cops accused of extorting money from suspected bigtime pushers last May.

The National Bureau of Investigation arrested two of the accused - PO2 Robert Cuyos and PO1 Leo Batigalao - after the complainants, Francisco and Dahlia Nabua, sought police assistance on June 21.

The Nabuas claimed that Batigalao had extorted close to P100,000 from them since May. They alleged that PO2 Cyril Valencia was also involved in the extortion.

But Valencia, in his counter affidavit, denied the allegations, saying that although they belong under the Vice Control Section, Batigalao did not talk to him about the couple.

Valencia said all he knew was that the couple has been on their list of drug pushers in the city, but added that he has nothing to do with the allegation.

Cuyos, on the other hand, claimed that while he was the one driving the motorcycle during their arrest, he had no knowledge about what has been agreed upon by the couple and Batigalao.

He claimed that he was 15 meters away from Batigalao and the couple during the transaction and that all he knew was that the Nabuas are suspected pushers.

Batigalao, meanwhile, said no entrapment took place because he never demanded anything from the couple, claiming that he met with the Nabuas that time because of their persistent calls to see him.

He said the Nabuas promised something for him that he thought they were referring to a "big fish" in the illegal drug trade. But he said he was surprised that he was immediately arrested when he met the couple.

But IAS chief case investigator Felix Bihay Jr. said they are giving more weight to the testimonies of the couple.

"With their categorical, straightforward, candid and positive declarations and identification of the complainants that appears to be the uncontroverted truth, the cracks widened on the solid edifice of the defense of the respondents, the masonry crumbled and the whole magnificent scenario was reduced to rubble and debris," Bihay pointed out. - Ryan P. Borinaga