5 cops rob German tourist to buy laptops

MANILA, Philippines - Five Makati City policemen face dismissal for allegedly extorting money from a German tourist to buy laptops last Jan. 29.

The Criminal Investigation Division of the Makati City police identified the five policemen only by their surnames:    Esperansante, Guitiring, Bagon, Salcedo and Ruga.

Makati City Police chief Senior Superintendent Froilan Bonifacio said the accused police officers have been disarmed and placed under restriction. The accused police officers belong to stations 9 and 6 and the Operations Division.

Director Nicanor Bartolome, chief of the the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said the five face summary dismissal proceedings.

“We have referred the case to the NCRPO for the recommendation of charges against the accused police officers,” said Bonifacio.

Reports reaching the German embassy said that victim Daniel Ludwig was approached by the five police officers and a man in civilian clothes at around 12:45 p.m. at the vicinity of the A Venue mall along Makati Avenue.

According to the report, the police officers and the still unidentified man at first accused Ludwig of buying counterfeit products being peddled by street hawkers. When Ludwig denied the accusation, the policemen and the civilian then accused him of buying drugs and reportedly presented him with a small pack of marijuana leaves.

At this point, the report said, Ludwig asked that he be made to contact the German embassy. But the accused policemen reportedly denied his request and threatened to send him to jail for allegedly supporting terrorism.

After allegedly threatening Ludwig, the policemen then accompanied him to an automated teller machine (ATM) and ordered him to withdraw money.

However, no cash was dispensed by the ATM as Ludwig had insufficient funds in his account, the report said.

The policemen, the report said, then allegedly told Ludwig to prove that he is not a terrorist by buying their police station laptop computers. They then allegedly forced Ludwig inside a marked police car and drove him to the nearby Power Plant Mall.

According to the report, Ludwig and the policemen entered the mall through the delivery entrance and went to the Office Warehouse where the policemen pointed to him the laptops they wanted.

The policemen allegedly demanded 10 laptops but the victim’s credit card could only afford six at the price of P222,149.

The policemen also allegedly forced Ludwig to use his father’s credit card and to forge his signature.

After getting the laptops, the policemen then set Ludwig free and warned him to be quiet about the incident or else he will be shot.

Last Feb. 1, the victim sought the help of the German embassy, which approached the Makati Police on Feb. 2.