Bacolod CIDG chief held for extortion

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines – The head of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) here was apprehended on Thursday for allegedly extorting weekly protection money from KTV operators.

Maj. Melvin Madrano was arrested along with his civilian cohort, Jay-R de la Cruz, by operatives of the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) in a cockpit arena in Barangay Mansilingan.

Medrano and De la Cruz allegedly received P5,000 in marked bills from an owner of a KTV bar in Barangay Singcang, who complained that he was forced to pay the amount every week to spare the establishment from police raids.

Madrona, who assumed the CIDG post last month, denied the allegations against him, saying he was set up by the complainant after the KTV bar was found allegedly engaging in lewd activities.

He was previously assigned with the Quezon City Police District.

Madrona also accused the team leader of the arresting police officers of punching him and hitting him with a gun in the head.

Madrona and De la Cruz are in the custody of the IMEG on charges of robbery and extortion. A separate administrative case would be filed against Madrona, according to IMEG director Col. Ronald Lee.

Lee said Madrona’s arrest was in line with the directive of PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa to go after rogues in uniform regardless of their rank.

Col. Henry Biñas, director of the Bacolod police, said the arrest of Madrona should serve as a warning to other police officials that the PNP leadership is serious in cleansing the organization of “bad eggs.”

‘Shakedown’

The owners of KTV bars told police that Madrona and De la Cruz allegedly demanded weekly payoffs as protection money in exchange for the continued operations of their establishments.

According to Lee, members of the CIDG raided a KTV bar on Feb. 8 and arrested its owner, employees and Japanese clients.

Police brought them to the CIDG office, but were released on the condition that the bar owner would allegedly give Madrona P5,000 weekly.

The complainant said he was forced to agree to the terms set by the arresting officers.

Aside from the weekly fee, the complainant said he was obliged to pay for Madrona’s travel expenses, hotel accommodation and food.

Three complainants allegedly handed P6,000 to Madrona in his office, the IMEG said.

The payoffs supposedly started on Feb. 20 and given by the complainants to Madrona’s alleged bagman known only as Senior M/Sgt. Nabarte, who is still being verified by the IMEG.

Previous cases

Madrona was charged in 2017 for physical injury, arbitrary detention and grave coercion by an overseas Filipino worker.

The OFW was reportedly beaten by Madrona after they figured in a vehicular accident when he was still assigned with the Quezon City police.

He was transferred to the PNP Headquarters Support Service and was among the participants in a reformation program by the national police.