6 cops, 2 civilians nabbed for extortion

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Six police officers and two civilians were arrested yesterday for allegedly extorting money from a businessman in Caranglan, Nueva Ecija.

Senior Police Officer 1 Antonito Otic; PO3s Danilo Sotelo, Ronald Buncad and Oliver Antonio and PO2s Rodrigo Edralin and Romeo Nuñez III as well as Ramon Cabilangan and Darwin Lagisma were collared in an entrapment at a checkpoint in Barangay Digdig in Caranglan at about 1:20 a.m., reports reaching Camp Olivas showed.

The report said the businessman, who was not identified, sought the assistance of personnel of the Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) after he was victimized by the police officers.

The suspects reportedly yielded P2,240 in coins and bills and various types of guns, including their service firearms.

CITF spokesman Chief Inspector Jewel Nicanor said they received complaints that the police officers use the checkpoint they are manning to ask money from passing merchants.

Nicanor said the CITF would investigate if officials of the Caranglan police were aware of the activities of their men.

“Even if it involved only a small amount, we consider it a grave violation,” he said.

The police officers face charges for violation of Republic Act 10591 for two unlicensed guns, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees.