8 tanods charged for extortion, rape

MANILA, Philippines — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) yesterday filed criminal charges against eight volunteer peacekeeping officers of Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City who allegedly extorted money from a drug suspect.

Police said the suspects allegedly raped the victim’s partner.

The CIDG Major Crimes Investigation Unit headed by Lt. Col. Julius Sagandoy filed charges of serious illegal detention, robbery with rape, car theft, grave coercion and possession of drug paraphernalia against the suspects before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office.

The respondents were Florentino Saliao Jr., 40; Eliseo Cayago, 40; Glenard Dayao, 52; Nelson Tud, 49; Ricardo de Asio, 44; Justine Jay

Tagala, 18; Erwin Veri, 39, and Jose Pajemos.

Of the eight suspects, only Pajemos remains at large.

The victim told police that the suspects broke into his house and accused him of being a drug offender.

The barangay tanods conducted the operation without a search warrant.

Although they did not find drugs, the suspects arrested the victim and confiscated his motorcycle.

The suspects initially asked for P50,000 but lowered it to P30,000 if the victim’s partner would agree to have sex with them.

The woman said she was raped in an apartelle in Barangay Payatas. She identified Saliao and Pajemos as the persons who allegedly raped her.