Makati Police precinct chief axed for extorting from 'habal-habal'

MANILA, Philippines — The commander of a police precinct in Makati City, whose deputy was arrested Thursday for allegedly extorting money from “habal-habal” drivers in Taguig City, was removed from his post yesterday.

Chief Inspector Armando Yu was transferred from Police Community Precinct 9 to the District Personnel Holding and Accounting Section of the Southern Police District at Fort Bonifacio due to command responsibility, said National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Guillermo Eleazar.

“We have a standing ‘one-strike’ policy with regards to extortion cases. Commanders (must) closely monitor the activities of their men and Yu seems to have lapsed on this,” said Eleazar in an interview.

Yu was replaced by Inspector Ferdinand Francisco.

Yu’s removal came a day after his deputy, Senior Police Officer 4 Danilo Paghubasan, was arrested by Counter-Intelligence Task Force agents after accepting P15,000 as “membership fee” from a habal-habal driver in Taguig City.

Paghubasan had reportedly been extorting money from the habal-habal drivers in exchange for allowing them to pick up passengers at an illegal terminal.

Paghubasan also allegedly collected P150 a day from over 40 drivers, threatening them with apprehension by his cohorts at a police precinct in Taguig.