Anti-scalawag operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested on Monday a team leader of a traffic enforcement team of Manila for allegedly extorting money from fruit and vegetable dealers.
Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, head of the PNP Counter Intelligence Task Force (CITF), said Mark Bien Ureta was collared by his men while receiving P6,000 money from a fruit and vegetable dealer from Nueva Ecija.
“According to the complainant, the suspect demanded P6,000 from him as protection money. The deal is that he will no longer be apprehended whenever he would deliver fruits and vegetables in a market in Manila,” said Caramat.
The complainant, Ronald Guanzon, personally sought the assistance of the CITF based on the news reports in the past.
An entrapment was immediately mapped out in front of the Manila City Hall which resulted in the arrest of Bien, reportedly a team leader of the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau.
Caramat urged other victims to surface and file complaint, noting that the complainant is just one of the victims.
What further triggered the suspicion of the CITF operatives about the extortion racket of Bien was when they seized some P306,000 from him during the arrest.
“We are now readying the charges against him,” said Caramat, adding that Bien is currently under their custody.
While the CITF is formed against scalawag cops, the unit is also rendering assistance to the public against erring government personnel. (Aaron Recuenco)
