EDITORIAL - Cops, robbers

The only positive aspect of this story is that the culprits are facing summary dismissal. But the story of the five Makati policemen now under investigation on charges of shaking down a German tourist is a reminder that before the spotlight was focused on corruption in the military, there was a national police service that needed fixing. And not just its Special Weapons and Tactics teams that respond to hostage incidents, but also its regular patrol members – the most visible representatives of the Philippine National Police.

Instead of keeping the public safe, five uniformed Makati policemen, together with a civilian, apprehended German tourist Daniel Ludwig at past noon last Jan. 29 on Makati Avenue. Reports said the five threatened to book him on trumped up charges of either marijuana possession or terrorism. Possession of only a small amount of prohibited drugs, which can warrant a misdemeanor conviction in some countries, can put the offender in prison for several years in this country, and terrorism can put him away for life.

Even without knowing this, Ludwig was sufficiently scared to go with the cops to a nearby shopping mall, where he allegedly was forced to buy as many laptops as his credit card limit would allow: six units for a total of P222,149. The cops reportedly told him they needed the laptops for police work. Then they set him free.

You don’t know which is more pathetic – the crime itself or the idea that cops have to shake down tourists to obtain computers for their job. When cops themselves are the robbers, where do you turn to for help? In the case of Ludwig, he went to his embassy on Feb. 1. The embassy sought help from the PNP leadership.

Ludwig was one victim who pursued a complaint. How many other guests in this country have been victimized in a similar way, but were too scared or dismayed to press charges? Such visitors return home with tales of horror about the Philippines.

The shakedown occurred when the government has just started fielding special police teams to protect tourists. Such cases are as damaging to the country as fatally bungled attempts to rescue hostages. And such cases will cause more long-term damage than the hostage fiasco unless the PNP moves decisively to discipline its members.