Towing firm workernabbed for extortion

MANILA, Philippines - An employee of a towing service was arrested for allegedly extorting and illegally towing vehicles in Quezon City yesterday.

Arnold Alvarez of Aaron Towing Service was arrested while his wrecker vehicle was seized by police.

Senior Police Officer 4 Raymundo Layug, commander of Quezon City Police District’s Traffic Sector 1, said Alvarez was arrested following a complaint by Genesis bus driver Manolito Serrano, 35, and motorist Noli Evangelista, 35.

Serrano said he parked his bus at around 6 a.m. yesterday morning along Bonifacio Avenue in Barangay Balingasa to replace the fan belt. The towing service arrived and towed the bus because it was a stalled vehicle.

The bus was brought to towing service’s headquarters located just behind the office of Traffic Sector 1, also along Bonifacio Avenue. Because of this, Serrano sought the assistance of Traffic Sector 1 policemen, who arrested Alvarez.

After the arrest, Evangelista arrived and pointed at Alvarez as one of the members of the towing crew who extorted P7,000 from him. Evangelista’s car was stalled at around 5 a.m. along Bonifacio Avenue when the towing service arrived and threatened to tow his vehicle.

He was told to pay P7,000 so that the towing service would no longer tow his car. The towing service even issued him a receipt.

Layug said accredited towing services are only allowed to bring towed vehicles to impounding areas of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. He also said only traffic enforcers are the only persons who can state what kind of traffic violations a motorist has committed.