Two Quezon City policewomen and a cohort ended up in jail after allegedly extorting money from a woman who sought their help to settle the charges against her husband.
SPO2 Helen Banguel and PO1 Mayet Eblahan, both assigned to the Women and Children’s Protection Desk of Talipapa Police Station (PS-3), are now detained at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) headquarters in Camp Karingal.
Also arrested was Ana Marie Acopio, who introduced herself as a secretary of a law firm.
Their arrest came after Cristina Marcos, 34, reported to police officials that Banguel demanded from them P10,000 to document the case she filed against her husband.
Marcos earlier filed a complaint at the PS-3 women’s desk against her husband Richard for having an illicit affair.
But after meeting with him and her mother-in-law at the PS-3, the wife decided to withdraw the case.
Banguel, an investigator and team leader at the said unit, then referred her to Acopio whom she said was in charge of Richard’s release.
Marcos said Acopio asked P5,000 from both parties to process the documents.
Concerned of the huge fee, Marcos went to PS-3 chief Supt. Danilo Mendoza to report the alleged extortion.
Mendoza in a press briefing yesterday said that aside from Marcos case, they received several reports that Banguel was charging fees for the cases within her unit.
This prompted them to entrap Banguel and Acopio around 11 p.m. Tuesday who were collared after Marcos handed over the P5,000.
Mendoza said they arrested Eblehan since she was at the office during the entrapment and did not care to report her senior to him.
Eleazar said charges will be filed against the policewomen and their cohorts. (Vanne Elaine P. Terrazola)