‘Ninja’ cop nabbed in Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines - A police officer who allegedly extorted P50,000 from a drug suspect was arrested in Quezon City on Monday afternoon.

Police Officer 1 Crispin Cartagenas, 40, was collared at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) headquarters at Camp Karingal in Barangay Sikatuna Village at past 3 p.m.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar said Cartagenas is among the 150 police officers allegedly involved in recycling seized illegal drugs and extortion.

“We recommended his transfer to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. For some reason, no reassignment order was issued for Cartagenas,” Eleazar said.

Police officers served a warrant for the arrest of Cartagenas for robbery issued by Judge Ferdinand Baylon of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77.

Cartagenas yielded a .45-caliber pistol, which he claimed was pawned to him by a soldier for P5,000.

Cartagenas’ arrest stemmed from the complaint filed by Julius Anthony Moraleda, who was arrested in an anti-drug operation on July 2, 2016.

Moraleda had surrendered to authorities under Oplan Tokhang.

Police said Cartagenas apprehended Moraleda on a motorcycle at a gas station in Quezon City for not wearing a helmet.

Moraleda’s wife claimed that Cartagenas planted shabu on him when he was brought to the QCPD Station 9.

The policeman allegedly demanded P50,000 in exchange for downgrading of drug charges against Moraleda.

Cartagenas denied the allegation, saying he arrested Moraleda based on a tip from the wife of another drug suspect.

Eleazar said Cartagenas is an example of a rogue police officer who took advantage of the government’s anti-drug campaign.

Cartagenas is also facing administrative cases of grave misconduct, grave neglect of duty for failure to attend court hearings and being absent without official leave.