Three policemen and a cohort are now in hot water for trying to extort P120,000 cash from the relatives of a fugitive in Quezon City.
Police Officers 3 Joseph Merin, 47; Aprilito Santos, 41; Ramil Dazo, 42; and a certain Gaudencio Yu Jr., 49, were arrested in an entrapment operation by members of Talipapa Police Station (PS-3) around 2 p.m. Thursday on Ayungin St., Cadaing Village.
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director, yesterday said the three police officers were relieved from their posts at the QCPD’s Warrant Section for allegedly conniving with Yu to extort money from 79-year-old Illuminda Leetiong.
In his report, Eleazar said the cops, along with Yu, came to Leetiong’s house and arrest her son Raymond for qualified theft and cybercrime charges by virtue of two warrants issued January 10. The four suspects, according to the victim, arrived wearing civilian clothes and on board a red hailed a red Honda vehicle.
The mother asked for the identification cards of the supposed arresting officers, which they refused to show, said Eleazar.
Instead, the suspects demanded from the family P120,000 in exchange for the son’s liberty.
After negotiations, the policemen reportedly agreed to settle the amount to P70,000.
Telling the suspects they would withdraw money from the bank, the lady, with her other son Rodolfo, instead headed to a barangay councilman to report the incident which was in turn reported to police.
PS-3 chief Supt. Danilo Mendoza said they immediately launched an entrapment operation. It was Dazo who reportedly received the P15,000 cash from Rodolfo.
While the arrest warrant for Raymond was valid, Eleazar said the erring cops were not dispatched for such mission and had not coordinated with their chief and the PS-3. (Vanne Elaine P. Terrazola)