Three Moalboal cops arrested for extortion

National Bureau of Investigation agents arrested yesterday three policemen of the Moalboal town police station for extortion.

SPO2 Jerry Villarin, PO3 Estanislao Avenido, and PO2 Godofredo Amancio were caught in an entrapment set up by the NBI inside an eatery along M. Velez Street at around 1:30 p.m. yesterday.

Elizabeth Gallarde, 57, of Poblacion East Moalboal, had accused the policemen of demanding money from her in exchange for the release of her 21-year-old son who they had arrested for alleged drug pushing last March 6. She claimed her son was arrested and booked for theft but the policemen made it appear it was a buy-bust operation.

Gallarde said she was forced to sell a piece of land in the town to be able to come up with the amount. She said Villarin demanded P80,000 and another P20,000 was demanded allegedly for the chief of police of the town.

But Gallarde suddenly had a change of heart. She went to Mayor Inocentes Cabaron who advised her to seek the NBI's help. And the NBI began surveillance of the three men starting last week.

Gallarde supplied the marked money. When Avenido received the money, the NBI agents moved in, arresting Avenido and two other policemen.

Avenido denied receiving the money from Gallarde, claiming that they were just framed-up. They claimed they were only responding to Gallarde's text message, which stated she had something to give them.

Villarin, on the other hand, said they could not have demanded money from her because they have already filed a case against Gallarde's son at the Provincial Prosecutor's Office.

According to Villarin, they went to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office yesterday because the 10 days waiver of detention of Gallarde's son had already expired.

"Wala mi mangayo bisan ka usa na lang. Ka pobre ana nila," Villarin said.

He said that if they had asked for money to settle the case they would not have filed a case. However, Gallarde said the policemen had demanded the money so they would execute an affidavit of desistance.

Moalboal police chief Carmelita Condevillamar immediately went to the NBI office upon learning about the arrest of her men.

Condevillamar also denied Gallarde's allegation that she demanded P20,000 for a settlement. Condevillamar said she has never talked to Gallarde.

NBI regional director Medardo de Lemos said they would check the records at the prosecutor's office to verify the claim of the policemen that they had filed a case against Gallarde's son.

The three men are detained at the NBI headquarters. - Fred P. Languido