CIIB to go after cops involved in extortion

The Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office is verifying reports about a group of policemen who are extorting money from drug personalities.

This is after a taxi driver complained to the CIIB yesterday that a group of policemen hired him to drive them to Carcar and Oslob three days ago supposedly for a drug operation.

But after the operation, he claimed the group did not pay him the promised fare, prompting him to report the incident to the CIIB.

Supt. Pablo Labra said the group could be the one they are going after for its extortion activities using the names of police units in places they operate.

Few months ago, the regional offices of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and National Bureau of Investigation warned the public about the presence of a group that used their names for its extortion activities.

Labra told reporters that the group is composed of three active policemen, a dismissed cop and a civilian police informer.

The active policemen, one of whom has a rank of police inspector, are reportedly assigned to different police units under the regional police office. The group allegedly operates in different towns of the province and even in some parts of Bohol.

Labra said the group would arrest drug dealers and blackmail them to pay a certain amount so no charges will be filed in court.

Police investigators learned that the group has already operated in barangays Calamba, Tejero and Luz sometime this year but was able to elude arrest.

Labra believed that the taxi driver's complaint could be in connection to another illegal activity of the group, but admitted that they do not have the complete affidavit of the driver to support his theory.

The police official said he would ask the driver for more information about the case and the reason why he reported the incident only three days later.

Two days ago, Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Calderon ordered for the creation of an "Honesty Team" to go after or report police scalawags. - Edwin Ian Melecio