QC prosecutor arrested for extortion

MANILA, Philippines - Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday collared a Quezon City prosecutor for allegedly extorting P80,000 from one of the respondents in a case he is handling in exchange for the complaint's dismissal.

NBI operatives swooped down and nabbed QC Assistant City Prosecutor III Raul Desambrana around 11 a.m. during an entrapment operation inside a restaurant at the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

The operation was staged after Dr. Alex Montes, one of the Morong 43 doctors who faces unjust vexation charges handled by Desambrana, claimed that the government prosecutor asked for money in exchange for the dismissal of the case.

"Every time may preliminary investigation, pinapalabas nya (Desambrana) yung ibang tao at yung lawyer lang ni Montes ang naiiwan. Sinasabi sa lawyer na idi-dismiss yung kaso pero huwag kalimutan ang SOP nya," lawyer Edre Olalia, one of the legal counsels of Montes, said.

Olalia said that Desambrana also instructed Montes' lawyers to draft the resolution, clearing the doctor of the charges.

"Korap na s'ya tapos tamad pa kasi kami ang gagawa yung resolution," Olalia said.

After Montes handed over the marked money to Desambrana, NBI closed in and handcuffed the government prosecutor.

"We want to thank (Justice) Secretary Leila de Lima for sitting down with us to get this corrupt government servant,"  Olalia said.