Cop nabbed for extort try on Korean

MANILA, Philippines - A policeman was arrested Monday night after trying to extort money from a Korean businessman.

Jae Hwan Ko, 56, told the Manila Police District’s General Assignment and Investigation Section that he lost important documents, checks and money when his Hyundai Grand Starex was broken into when he parked it along Mabini street on Nov. 3.

The following night, Jae said he received a call from a man who demanded P20,000 in exchange for his belongings and told him to be at a restaurant along Remedios street in Ermita.

Jae told Police Officer 3 Robin Bautista about the extortion attempt. Bautista and his team arrested PO1 Freddielin Esguerra of the Regional Public Safety Battalion in Bicutan and his accomplice, Dennis Rojo, while accepting money from Jae at the Plaza Rajah Sulayman, a few hours after the suspects transferred the rendezvous to another area.

Esguerra admitted his crime but did not elaborate how he got hold of Jae’s stolen belongings.

Investigators believe Esguerra could be in deeper trouble if it is proven that he is the “handler” of car thieves operating in the former red light district.