4 QC cops extort P.3 M from businesswoman

Four policemen could face criminal charges for allegedly extorting more than P300,000 from a businesswoman they arrested in Quezon City.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, said Senior Police Officer 1 Danilo Pading, Police Officer 2 Raul Tiñana and Police Officers 1 Darlito Pinzon and Romualdo Bacani will be charged with robbery-extortion if an internal investigation proves their involvement in the crime.

Based on a pre-charge evaluation report, victims Cecille Garrido and Jamael Romuros filed a complaint last March 14, claiming that the four policemen allegedly took P345,000 from them.

They said that while they were in a taxicab from Caloocan on the way to Baclaran to buy cellular phones for their shop early last March 13, they were flagged down by four policemen in two police patrol cars.

Garrido and Romuros said the policemen frisked them when they got out of the taxicab, and Garrido’s bag, which contained the money “was purportedly taken by one of the police officers alleging that the money she carries was intended for illegal drug trade and activity.”

According to Garrido, she failed to recognize the police officers, except for Bacani, who she identified through his nameplate.

When shown photographs of QCPD personnel, she was able to identify Bacani, who is detailed with the QCPD-Mobile Patrol Unit. The others were eventually identified.

Police officials have recommended that the District Investigation and Detective Management Division conduct a full-blown investigation into the case.    – Reinir Padua