Two village watchmen of Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City were arrested for allegedly extorting P30,000 from the family of a drug suspect they nabbed in a drug sting.
Superintendent Joel Villanueva, chief of Batasan Police Station (PS-6), identified the suspects as Henry Pol and Rolando Ferrera, public security officers (BPSO) of Barangay Commonwealth.
Police report showed that the complainant, who refused to be named, went to PS-6 on Monday night to report the alleged extortion of BPSOs of Barangay Commonwealth.
According to the complainant, the barangay officers arrested her female relative for illegal drugs around 4 p.m. on Monday.
However, instead of turning her over to the police, the BPSOs detained the arrested woman at the barangay detention cell.
The complainant said the officers initially asked P50,000 from them in exchange for the release of their relative, but the family managed to negotiate to reduce the amount to P30,000.
After the deal, the complainant reported the incident to PS-6 who immediately conducted an entrapment operation against the suspects around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Upon handing the marked money, responding policemen immediately arrested the suspects who tried to escape.
Aside from the marked money, police were able to seize from the duo a .45-caliber handgun and seven sachets of suspected shabu.
Eight other barangay tanods who were also inside the office during the operation were held by the officers for investigation to determine the extent of their liability in the incident, Villanueva said.
The PS-6 chief added they have yet to determine the involvement of the barangay chairman in the case.
Prior to the operation, police said there were reports of alleged extortion among the same suspects but were not verified.
At least 38 people, including six women and two minors, crowded the detention cell in Barangay Commonwealth, which is supposed to hold 10 persons only.
One of them bared that he was detained for at least two weeks after the BPSOs nabbed him for drinking in a public place, a city ordinance violation.
He said he was forced to undergo a drug test which resulted positive, according to the barangay officers who also asked him to pay a P500 fee for the test and another P500.
Police said they are now investigating the matter while the arrested tanods are now under their custody.
The suspects will be charged with robbery extortion, serious illegal detention, violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. (Alexandria San Juan)
