Police nab 2 taxi drivers for extortion

The Manila Police District-Special Operations Group (MPD-SOG) apprehended yesterday two taxi drivers who allegedly extorted P30,000 from their former Chinese employer and threatened to abduct one of his children.

Inspector Cesar Teneros, MPD-SOG operations chief, said they nabbed William Teng, 54, of Binondo, Manila City and Valentino Samson, 56, of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

Teneros said they acted on the complaint made by 56-year-old Cheung Ting Kit, owner of IVC Transport with 50 taxi units, and a resident of 6th Avenue, Caloocan City.

Cheung’s liaison officer, Edwin Dinega, said Teng and Samson, who has worked for Cheung for over three years had left the company some 18 months ago. They reportedly had derogatory records, including non-remittance of their boundary to the company.

"About a week ago, they called Mr. Cheung and demanded their Social Security System (SSS) benefits. They said that if he refused to do so they would kidnap one of his four children or steal his taxi units," Dinega said.

Initially, each driver demanded P50,000, but Cheung negotiated and was able to reduce the amount to P30,000 and further down to P15,000.

He then coordinated with the MPD-SOG, which set up an entrapment.

Chief Inspector Pedro Sanchez, MPD-SOG head, instructed Teneros and seven other policemen to set up the entrapment operation.

At around 7 a.m. yesterday, Teneros was positioned inside a fastfood restaurant in Sta. Cruz, Manila and waited for Cheung to hand over the marked money to the suspects.

"I then gave the signal. I placed my hand on my head, left the store and when I returned inside, we apprehended Teng and Samson," he said.

Police are readying robbery-extortion with grave threat charges against the two suspects.