2 Manila cops sacked for extortion

Two Manila policemen were arrested by their own colleagues after they were caught on video while in the act of extorting P10,000 from an alleged lawbreaker in front of the police community precinct along Roxas Boulevard in Malate, Manila.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim ordered the filing of summary dismissal proceedings against Senior Police Officer 1 Raymundo Molina, 55, and Police Officer 2 Webster Caronan, 32, and that they be stripped of their service firearms. He presented the two erring lawmen to the public at the city hall yesterday.

Lim reminded all policemen present at yesterday’s presentation of his marching order to stop their extortion activities.

“I mean what I say, and I say what I mean. Stop all your illegal activities or face my indignation,” Lim said.

The two policemen were arrested by operatives of the Manila Police District (MPD) general assignment section, led by SPO4 Fernando Cantillas, after viewing the video taken by a news team from ABS-CBN television network.

Leo Zambarrano, 27, sought the assistance of the media after Caronan asked him to pay P10,000 for his release. Zambarrano was arrested, together with a police asset identified only as a certain “Vince,” for smoking in the Baywalk area.

According to Zambarrano, he and Vince were brought to the Grand Boulevard police community precinct where they were made to strip. A sachet of suspected shabu and marijuana were seized from Vince’s underwear.

Zambarrano said Caronan threatened that he would be arrested since his companion yielded illegal drugs. He was asked P100,000 in exchange for having the charges dropped. This figure was later reduced to P10,000.

Cantillas said Vince may have been “planted” by the two policemen since no records of Vince’s arrest were found in the police blotter.

Zambarrano called up his friend, Dennis Cabuso, to lend him P10,000 for his release. Cabuso then asked the ABS-CBN crew to videotape the pay-off.

Molina, who is set to retire next year, was caught on video receiving the money from Cabuso. If proven guilty as charged, Molino will forfeit his retirement benefits.

MPD director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa ordered the immediate filing of robbery extortion charges against the two policemen.

“Let them serve as example to other policemen to stop their illegal activities. I prefer to have a handful of honest and dedicated cops than a bunch of rotten policemen,” Abarzosa said.  – Nestor Etolle