NCRPO warns mulcting cops

The National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) warned erring policemen that police "Honesty Teams" have been deployed to monitor and arrest police officers involved in extortion and collection of weekly bribes or tong from vendors and traders in Metro Manila during the Christmas season.

"Our vendors are exerting all their efforts just to earn a decent living for their family and that is why we must protect them from unscrupulous policemen and other lawless elements of society," said Chief Superintendent Ray Roderos, NCRPO deputy director for administration.

Roderos and Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula, director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) have various leaders of vendors and suppliers of meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits, and fish in Camp Karingal in Quezon City

The top police officials assured the traders that the police is ready to help them solve their problems with mulcters or "kotong" cops.

The PNP Honesty Teams was initated by Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon to get rid of policemen involved in extortion and mulcting activities on illegal vendors and other traders.

The NCRPO is reactivating the Honesty Teams amid complaints of the proliferation of rogue cops that harass and extort money from vendors during the Chsistmas holidays which have also forced traders to raise the prices of prime commodities like fish and vegetables to compensate for the bribe they give to corrupt police officers.

The NCRPO’s Honesty Teams will be deployed in the five police districts in the metropolis and will focus operations against policemen that demand money and different items from vendors, said Roderos.

"Thru the Honesty Team program, we seek to monitor the activities of our police personnel, especially those assigned to duties where temptations and exposure to corruption is highest," Roderos said.

Roderos and Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., head of the NCRPO’s Police Community Relations, distributed PNP Volunteer Membership Cards to the vendors that attended the meeting at Camp Karingal.

The cards can be used by the holders to have easy access to concerned police units and report the extortion activities of erring policemen.

"Huwag kayong mag-atubiling lumapit sa aming tanggapan upang magpahayag ng inyong problema at saloobin, nakahanda po kaming tugunan ang inyong mga problema anumang oras," said Roderos, noting that the NCRPO is determined to eradicate corrupt policemen in the streets who are victimizing vendors.

He emphasized that since Varilla took over command of the NCRPO in August, he had already dismissed 66 rogue cops, and demoted or suspended 40 others who are now facing various criminal and administrative charges.

Cruz said once the NCRPO units received complaints from the vendors, elements of the NCRPO’s counter-intelligence unit (CIU), headed by Superintendent Edwin Wagan, and Superintendent Mike Hernandez of the Regional Special Action Group (RSAG) will proceed to the area where the kotong cops are operating and make the necessary arrests.