4 EPD cops face extort raps

Four policemen assigned at the Eastern Police District (EPD) are facing criminal charges for alleged extortion and beating up a cellular telephone technician in Pasig City.

The victim Frederick Vicencio, 26, of No. 3931 Purok 6, Lower Bicutan, Taguig, identified one of the suspects as Police Officer 1 Marlon Servillon who is assigned at the EPD Special Operations Task Force (SOTF).

Senior Superintendent Eduardo Villena, head of the EPD District Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), ordered the filing of charges of robbery-extortion, grave threat and arbitrary detention against Servillon and the three other policemen, who were not yet identified.

“We have yet to identify the three other suspects but I already ordered the filing of charges against them,” said Villena as he vowed not to condone any wrongdoing by fellow law enforcers.

In his complaint, Vicencio said he was on board his motorcycle in front of Ado’s Panciteria in Barangay Malinao at about 11:30 a.m. last Aug. 2 when the four policemen arrived.

Vicencio said the four police who were wearing civilian clothes, dragged him into a parked Mitsubishi Delica van with license plate RDH 554, while another suspect boarded his motorcycle.

The suspects identified themselves as policemen but refused to give any reason why he was being arrested.

Vicencio said the suspects inside the van beat him up while one of them even placed his gun inside his mouth.

He was then taken to the EPD annex building along Meralco Ave., where the policemen took his personal belongings.

The victim claimed the suspects asked him to raise P15,000 cash in exchange of his liberty but the amount was lowered to P8,000 after a series of negotiation.

However, the victim failed to produce the P8,000 cash prompting the suspects to take the motorcycle under their custody until he was able to produce the money.

The victim claimed that he and PO1 Servillon signed a waiver stating that his motorcycle will be released when he could produce the P8,000 cash.

Villena said they are still conducting further investigation to identify and arrest the other suspects.