2 cops nabbed for extorting P.5 M from tourist

ANGELES CITY, Philippines – Two policemen here were arrested for allegedly extorting money from a Swedish tourist on Tuesday.

Police Officer 3 Manachem Baking and Police Officer 2 Ricardo Cabrera Jr. were collared by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) while they were receiving P280,000 of the P500,000 they demanded from Goran Smedjer, 64, who is staying in Barangay Malabanias, said Senior Superintendent Eden Ugale.

A CIDG report said Smedjer invited two women to his apartment last Jan. 25. After a few minutes, Baking and Cabrera with another woman barged into the apartment, claiming she is the mother of one of the women. It was not clear if the women were minors.

The report said the policemen negotiated with Smedjer, saying no complaint would be filed by the alleged mother if he would pay P500,000.

Smedjer sought the help of the CIDG, which staged a sting.

CIDG agents recovered an M16 rifle, a 9 mm and caliber .45 pistols, a bulletproof vest and a Toyota Innova from the suspects.