NBI nabs 4 maritime cops for extortion

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed qualified bribery charges against four police officers of the Maritime Command Group for allegedly extorting P200,000 from a businessman in Parañaque City the other day.

Regional Director Reynaldo Esmeralda, of the NBI-Special Task Force (STF), identified the suspects as Senior Police Officer 3 Rogelio Silvela, PO3 Diogenes Zonio, PO3 Aquilino Labrador and PO3 Jonas Himalay.

They belong to the Maritime Command Group, a special operating unit of the Philippine National Police.

The NBI initially filed charges for the violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and robbery-extortion against the four policemen.

However, Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco elevated the robbery-extortion charges to qualified bribery, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of death.

Esmeralda said an entrapment operation was conducted based on the complaint of businessman Allan Sy.

Records showed that on Oct. 18, employees of Sy were at the Parañaque Fish Port loading P240,000 worth of softwood from Cagayan de Oro into two 20-footer container vans. The shipment was supposed to be delivered to a warehouse in Valenzuela City.

The suspects approached them and introduced themselves as officers of the Maritime Command.

"They looked at the documents and despite the complete papers that included a Department of Environment and Natural Resources permit, the officers refused to give back the cargo and instead demanded P100,000 for each container van," Esmeralda said.

Sy sought help from the STF, which set up an entrapment operation.

At around 2 p.m. the following day, the agents proceeded to the Maritime Command detachment unit in Parañaque City.

After Sy handed over the P200,000 in marked money, the STF, assisted by an NBI Anti-Kidnapping, Hijacking and Armed Robbery team, apprehended the four suspects.

"There was little resistance," the STF chief said.