CEBU, Philippines - - Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez has accused a member of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 of protecting the illegal gambling and illegal fishing activities in his town.
Ramirez said he is filing a formal complaint today before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas against Police Officer 3 Arnold Bocayong. Ramirez said Bocayong is collecting P20,000 to P30,000 monthly protection money from the illegal gambling and illegal fishing operators in Medellin.
He is asking the Ombudsman to sub-poena a moneygram agent in Medellin where the protection money is allegedly sent on a monthly basis.
On top of it Bocayong is allegedly making money out of the bogus CIDG identi-fication cards he issued to his assets. According to Ramirez, Bocayong is collecting P150 from each asset as processing fee for the IDs and another P100 renewal fee every year.
Bocayong denied the allegation saying it was “pure harassment” because they filed a case against Ramirez for homicide over the death of his aide Edelberto Abao.
CIDG-7 found evidence to charge Ramirez of homicide after witnesses identi-fied him as the one who allegedly shot Abao.
But Ramirez insisted that what he is doing is not “pure harassment” but rather “pure revelation.”
Ramirez said he did not know Bocayong’s illegal activities until the death of Abao.
Ramirez claimed to have learned from Abao’s live-in partner that his former aide was an asset of Bocayong and a collector at the same time.
Florisa Tuñacao, live-in partner of Abao, reportedly told Ramirez that Bocayong had been collecting protection money from persons involved in illegal activities through Abao who sent it through moneygram on a monthly basis.
She said that Abao was compelled to follow orders from Bocayong to protect his son, Edelito “Bembem” Abao, who was also involved in illegal drug activities. Bembem reportedly has pending warrant of arrest at CIDG.
Ramirez said that after validating the report of Tuñacao, he later found that aside from Abao, there are other persons involved in sending protection money to Bocayong.
Ramirez said that some members of his mayor squad are also willing to testify on the alleged issuance of bogus CIDG ID by Bocayong in exchange for money.– (FREEMAN)