Add’l charges filed vs PAIRTF chief

The Department of Justice filed qualified bribery and robbery charges before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) against former police captain Reynaldo Jaylo for allegedly demanding P200,000 from a couple arrested and detained last October by members of the defunct Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force (PAIRTF).

Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said they found probable cause to indict Jaylo on the non-bailable offense of qualified bribery and robbery in band after his men allegedly demanded P200,00 from Jerome France and his wife, Mary Jane last Oct. 7 .

The couple had been arrested by Jaylo’s men for large scale illegal recruitment.

Velasco said the France couple initially paid P60,000 to Jaylo’s men, who demanded the payment of the remaining P140,000 the following week.

The couple agreed and arranged a meeting for the payment at a restaurant in Pasig City.

After the couple sought assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Jaylo’s men were arrested.

Velasco said the 11 suspects men claimed they were PAIRTF agents acting under Jaylo’s direct control and supervision.

"Thus, in essence, respondent Jaylo has been implicated not only by the complainants, but by his own men," Velasco said.

In his counter-affidavit, Jaylo said the charges against him and his men were mere fabrications of agents of the NBI, but Velasco disagreed.

"Neither he (Jaylo) nor his men could not satisfactorily explain why they were inside a restaurant at Pasig City last Oct. 12 with a supposed detainee in tow. A detainee should be inside a cell and not at a restaurant with his apprehender, in the evening at that," Velasco said.

He said the operation against the couple cannot be considered legitimate because it was conducted after July 9, when PAIRTF ceased to exist.

Apart from Jaylo, those charged with qualified bribery and robbery in band were police officers Santiago Sy, Romeo Noriega, Francisco Quito and Dexter Ramile, investigating officers Mercy Grace Gamores, Allan Tubil, Ruel Lontoc, Rolando Arce, Nelson Manalang Ferrer, Ricardo Duque and Christopher Lucero.

No bail was recommended against Jaylo and his men for the qualified bribery charges.

The DOJ, however, recommended P100,000 bail for each of the accused in the robbery in band charges.

The DOJ earlier filed serious illegal detention charges against Jaylo and eight of his men for detaining several persons without any authority to do so.

State Prosecutor Romeo Senson said that Executive Order 325, which created the PAIRTF, ceased to exist last July 9.