Japanese businessman files charges vs 6 MPD cops

The day Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Calderon launched "honesty teams" who would go against scalawags in uniform, a Japanese businessman filed robbery-extortion charges against six members of the Manila Police District (MPD) for allegedly extorting from P500,000 in cash last month.

The complainant, identified as Kazuaki Tomizawa, 46, a Tokyo resident temporarily staying in Makati City, filed charges before the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

In a complaint-affidavit dated Aug. 26, Tomizawa identified the police officers as SPO4 Vicente Noriega, SPO2s Joselito dela Cruz and Alfonso Ruiz, and PO3s Teofilo Biong Jr., Alfredo Pacoma and Jaime Salonga.

Tomizawa claimed that the policemen barged inside his rented apartment at 1854 Asuncion St., Barangay Valenzuela, Makati City, and abducted him last Aug. 18. He was allegedly locked at the MPD Theft and Robbery Section and was released the same day after he paid P500,000 in cash.

"Without any reason, or warrant of arrest, these policemen arrested me. I asked them what was my violation but they dragged and pushed me instead," Tomizawa, who is married to a Filipina and has two children, said he arrived here last July 23.

He said he discovered later that he was brought to the Western Police District (WPD) headquarters located along UN Avenue in Manila.

"I was detained there at around 3 p.m. and was released at 8 p.m. after I agreed to pay P500,000," Tomizawa said in his affidavit.

He said the first payment of P300,000 was made at the WPD Headquarters while the remaining P200,000 was paid out to Noriega’s group on Aug. 23 by Tomizawa‘s friend.

Jenny Hernandez, a friend of Tomizawa’s wife, who was also arrested by Noriega’s group, issued an affidavit corroborating the victim’s statement before CIDG-NCR probers.

Sources at the WPD said Noriega is a former agent of the defunct Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force (PAOCTF) who was sacked by its chief, Capt. Reynaldo Jaylo, for involvement in illegal activities.