MPD cops face raps over 'missing' estafa suspect

MANILA, Philippines - A businessman sued two Manila Police District (MPD) policemen and a barangay officer yesterday for alleged anomalies in the arrest and subsequent release of an estafa suspect.

Juanito Tan, 66, from Binondo, filed a complaint against Police Officer 3 Jessie Villanueva of the Raxabago police station, PO2 Frederick Pastor of the district enforcement unit and Barangay 253, Zone 23 barangay officer Joel Amores.

In his complaint, Tan said the three men arrested Ernesto Cortez on July 23 after a warrant of arrest was issued by the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court for violating the anti-bouncing check law.

He said he asked the MPD for assistance to effect Cortez’s arrest.

Tan said that after Cortez was brought to the MPD headquarters, the policemen told him to wait at a store across the street. He said Amores tried to persuade him not to pursue the case against Cortez and to allow him to be released from police custody, but he refused.

When he went back to the MPD headquarters the next day, he found out that the policemen and Amores had not presented Cortez at the police station and did not book him at all. He said he could no longer contact the policemen.