Policeman charged for extort try

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices has indicted a policeman and his alleged errand boy for estafa for allegedly trying to extort money to settle a case.

Police Senior Insp. Claro Benatiro and Edgardo Casul were charged with estafa before the Municipal Trial Court in Consolacion after the anti-graft office found probable cause to indict them of the complaint filed by Milagros Quiapo in 2006.

Quiapo said Benatiro, through Casul, demanded P5,000 from her to secretly settle the case of her son, Tomas, who was arrested and detained at the Consolacion Police Station on October 9, 2005.

On October 12, 2005 the complainant said she received reports that her son escaped from the detention cell prompting her and her daughter Conching to verify the circumstances of the escape.

On their way to the police station, Quiapo said they met Casul who told them no to proceed to the police station because he was allegedly instructed by Benatiro to solicit P5,000 from them in exchange for the secret settlement of the case.

Against Casul’s word Quiapo said they proceeded to see Benatiro at the police station where the latter told them not to worry while pointing at Casul as “guarantor.”

Quiapo said she immediately borrowed money from her other son and was able to raise P3,000 which was allegedly received by Casul.

But to her dismay, several police officers visited her house after asking her to surrender her son after the supposed settlement.

The police officers later brought Casul before the family of the complainant where he admitted having received the money and promised to refund it.

In their counter-affidavit submitted before the anti-graft office, both Binatero and Casul denied the accusations against them.

In a four-page resolution, the MOLEO ruled that the accused could not be charged for robbery extortion considering that the alleged solicitation of money did not use violence or intimidation as a means.

With this, the anti-graft body said Binatero and Casul could only be held liable for estafa and ordered them to pay P6,000 each as bail for their temporary liberty. — Fred P. Languido/WAB    (FREEMAN NEWS)