Rookie cop, suspended 10 times, nabbed for extortion

MANILA, Philippines - A rookie Marikina policeman, who had been suspended 10 times, was arrested yesterday morning for allegedly extorting money from a man facing drug charges.

Police Officer 1 Jaime Jan Brian Nicabera, 29, was apprehended in a sting set up by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Anti-Organized Crime Division (CIDG-AOCD) at a mall in Mandaluyong City.

CIDG-AOCD chief Senior Superintendent Alexander Tagum said Nicabera allegedly contacted the complainant, who is being tried in court for drug use, and offered to “fix” the case for him in exchange for P100,000.

Tagum said the complainant haggled until the amount was reduced to P15,000.

“But before the complainant finalized the deal, he went to the CIDG Complaint Monitoring Division and reported the incident,” Tagum told reporters.

He said they looked into Nicabera’s background and learned that he had been suspended 10 times for various offenses but managed to return to the police service.

Nicabera’s father, according to reports, is a retired police officer.

Tagum said they have coordinated with Marikina City police chief Senior Superintendent Vincent Calanoga, who expressed support for the CIDG-AOCD’s operations against lawmen involved in illegal activities.

He also warned the public that no police officer can help someone who has a pending court case for illegal drugs.