Bogus cop slapped with extort raps

Police filed yesterday charges of usurpation of authority or official function against a fake policeman arrested Wednesday morning while mulcting vendors in Ermita, Manila.

The suspect, Manolo Baun, 46, jobless, of 4209 Magnolia st., Sun Valley Subdivision, Parañaque City, is also facing robbery and extortion charges from at least 20 vendors from Escoda street in Ermita, from whom he allegedly collected P20 daily for over a month now.

The vendors claimed Baun introduced himself as Superintendent Daniel Hernandez, chief of the Task Force Anti-Littering of the Office of the Mayor.

Western Police District director Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon Jr. immediately tasked the Detective Trackers Section (DTS) to arrest the suspect after listening to the vendors' complaint.

Last Wednesday, DTS operatives led by Inspector Marcelo Reyes posted themselves incognito among the vendors to await the arrival of the suspect. At around 11 a.m., the suspect, wearing a black vest marked "POLICE," arrived and started to collect P20 from each vendor. Police pounced on the suspect as soon as the P20 marked money was handed to him.

When apprehended, the suspect first introduced himself as chief of the anti-littering task force of the Office of the Mayor. He gave his name as Superintendent Daniel Hernandez.

Aside from the marked money, also recovered from the suspect was an identification card from the office of the Cainta mayor issued to one Superintendent Daniel de Leon Hernandez. The suspect's picture was attached to the ID card.

An inquest fiscal found the evidence against the suspect overwhelming, thus approving the usurpation charges filed by the police. The offense carries a P120,000 bail.