BY JEL SANTOS
Six employees of a private towing company were recently apprehended for allegedly extorting money from the owner of a vehicle they towed in Makati City.
Colonel Oscar “Jack” Jacildo, Makati Police chief, identified the arrested men as Michael Jayson Rubia, 21; Dominic Ponayo, 38; Jonel Siega, 24; Diomedico Laurente, 48; Jesus Canon, Jr., 43; and a 15-year-old minor. They introduced themselves as personnel of Parkners Towing Company.
On July 21, a truck driver went to the Makati Police Station and reported that the suspects were asking him to pay P7, 000 in exchange for the release of his dump truck.
The vehicle of the victim was parked on Osmena Highway in Barangay Bangkal, Makati around 9 p.m. when it was suddenly towed by the suspects.
On Wednesday, July 22, policemen conducted an entrapment operation to collar the six men at their towing company in Barangay Pio del Pilar around 3:40 p.m.
After giving the marked P7,000 to the suspects, the undercover policemen declared their arrest.
Instead of surrendering, Jacildo said the suspects reportedly ran away, but they were cornered after a brief chase.
Seized from them were the P7,000 marked money and their towing truck, police said.
“I am urging other vehicle owners victimized by these men to go to the police station and file a case against them. Do not tolerate such abusive actions,” the police chief said. (Jel Santos)
