4 ‘enforcers’ shake down fiscal’s daughter

MANILA, Philippines - Four fake traffic enforcers were arrested in Quezon City Sunday night after accosting and extorting money from a top government prosecutor’s daughter.

It took just about 15 minutes after the extortion to arrest the suspects right at the spot where they received the P700 from Dorothy Joy Ricalde, according to her father, San Juan City chief prosecutor Tomas Ricalde Jr.

Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said the four suspects were in blue police shirts with the letters “TEU” at the back.

The letters were an attempt to refer to the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the QCPD. “It should have been with a ‘D,’” Albano said during yesterday’s press conference, referring to the full name of the section, which is the District Traffic Enforcement Unit (DTEU).

The four suspects – Eduardo Celeteria, Raymund Liwag, Eduardo Joves, and Bernard Medina – were arrested at the U-turn slot along C-5 Road at around 11 p.m., carrying three booklets of expired ordinance violation receipts and four motorcycles, two of which had no license plates.

Albano said Celeteria, Liwag and Joves were former enforcers of the city government’s department of public order and safety.

Dorothy Joy was accosted for taking the inner lane and not proceeding to the U-turn slot, her father said.

Albano said the suspects demanded P700 so the woman would not be cited for the supposed violation. The woman gave the amount and drove off but immediately sent a text message to her father.

Ricalde immediately informed Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina about the incident and within minutes, a police team from the QCPD Station 12 and the DTEU were sent to the site.

QCPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana said policemen demanded that the suspects present a deputation order – a document that authorizes them to accost traffic violators – but the suspects failed to present any.

Albano said the suspects were charged with usurpation of authority and robbery extortion.