A case of robbery extortion was filed yesterday against the nine Manila Police District (MPD) cops before the Manila Prosecutors Office (MPO) after allegedly demanding cash from vendors in Ermita, Manila.
Two more names were added to the initial list of seven officials accused by the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay Manila) and United Vendors Alliance (UVA) of mulcting money from the vendors.
Added to the list were PO2 Wedderico Alonzo and PO1 Dino Lozano. Other respondents were SPO2 Marvin Velasquez, SPO2 Rommel Alfaro, PO3 John John David, PO3 Leo De Jose, PO2 Romeo Rosini, Jr., PO2 James Paul Cruz, and PO1 Ronie Boy Alonzo. All were assigned at MPD Station 5 (Ermita).
The case was filed by 20 vendors led by 51-year-old Jean Alvarez who claimed the cops have been extorting R200 from her daily.
Last Wednesday, vendors held a protest rally in front of MPD Headquarters to protest the rampant extortion activities of the said policemen.
MPD Director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel the other day ordered the relief of the cops who were asked to surrender their firearms and badges.
MPD Station 5 commander Supt. Emerey Abating has denied the allegations, saying they were merely performing clearing operations as ordered by the city mayor. (Jaimie Rose R. Aberia)