Cop in extort try on NCRPO chief's son goes AWOL

MANILA, Philippines - One of two Quezon City policemen accused of trying to extort money from a son of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina has gone AWOL (absent without official leave), an official said yesterday.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Mario dela Vega said Senior Police Officer 4 Jose dela Peña did not report for work following the incident Tuesday night.

Dela Vega said he “has sent police officers to go to Dela Peña’s home.”

Dela Peña’s partner, Police Officer 2 Resty del Rosario, surfaced yesterday and confirmed the incident. Dela Vega said Del Rosario noted that it was only his partner who talked to Espina’s son.

Del Rosario “claimed he was only following orders (from Dela Peña). He remained in the police car as Dela Peña boarded” the vehicle driven by Espina’s 22-year-old son, the QCPD chief said.

Del Rosario said he followed in the police car as Dela Peña and Espina’s son went to two ATM booths. The man was never able to withdraw money.

Dela Peña and Del Rosario were accused of accosting a man driving along Santolan Road Tuesday night, accusing him of engaging in “phone sex” and demanding P10,000 from him. The “phone sex” allegation is not true, according to Dela Vega.

Based on Del Rosario’s account, Dela Peña accosted the man along Hemady street. They traveled along N. Domingo street until they reached Santolan Road. 

At one point, the young man asked Dela Peña to talk to his father on the phone. It was at this point when the man on the line introduced himself as Espina, the police general.

Based on a police report, it was Espina himself who called up the two policemen’s superior at the QCPD’s Mobile Patrol Unit, Chief Inspector Jerome dela Cruz.

Dela Vega said the policemen were identified through their nameplates, the body number of their patrol car and by checking the dispatch records of their unit. 

‘Phone sex not a crime’

Dela Vega said Espina’s son was not engaged in phone sex. “He was just talking to someone on his phone as he was on his way to a dinner meeting. Rightfully so, he pulled over because he could not drive while talking on the phone,” he said in an interview.

But even if a person were actually engaged in phone sex, police officers have no right to arrest him, Dela Vega said.

“It’s a private matter. Nobody is allowed to get into our private matters,” Dela Vega said.

According to him, the complainant never dropped his father’s name until he asked one of the policemen to talk to his father on the phone.

Dela Vega said Dela Peña introduced himself as “Joseph,” instead of his real name. It was only when Espina, who was on the other end of the line, told him, “I’m General Espina. I want to know your name,” that the policeman realized what they had gotten themselves into.

On the phone yesterday with Espina, Dela Vega assured his superior that the case would be taken seriously. “We’ll take appropriate and immediate actions,” Dela Vega told Espina.

The QCPD chief also called on the public to report any misdeed by his men. He said such acts would never be condoned.

Another case

The QCPD chief said Dela Peña has another extortion case that stemmed from an incident earlier this year. “The case has been forwarded to the NCRPO because that is beyond the authority of the district director,” he said.

According to Dela Vega, dismissal proceedings on such grave cases are decided upon by the NCRPO chief – a position that has been assumed by Espina.