3 QC cops axed for extortion

MANILA, Philippines - Three Quezon City policemen were sacked and disarmed yesterday after they allegedly tried to extort P120,000 in exchange for not arresting a fugitive.

Police Officers 3 Joseph Merin, 47; Aprilito Santos, 41, and Ramil Dazo, 42, were relieved from their posts at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

The policemen were arrested along with Gaudencio Yu, 49, on Thursday.

Charges of robbery and extortion were filed against them before the city prosecutor’s office based on the complaint of Illuminada Leetiong.

The police officers were transferred to the District Administrative Holding Unit and are facing an administrative case for grave misconduct, according to QCPD director Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar.

Leetiong said she was sleeping when the suspects went to her house along Ayungin street in Barangay Talipapa looking for her son Raymond.

She said the policemen demanded P120,000 from her in exchange for not serving a warrant for the arrest of Raymond, who is reportedly wanted for qualified theft and violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Leetiong said the police officers settled for P70,000.

Superintendent Danilo Mendoza, Talipapa police station commander, said the suspects were arrested in an entrapment operation after Leetiong handed P15,000 in marked money to Dazo.

Mendoza said although the warrant for Raymond’s arrest was valid, the operation was not coordinated with him and the unit head.

He said the three policemen were not officially dispatched to serve the arrest warrant.

Raymond was detained at the Talipapa police station detention cell.

MMDA traffic enforcer nabbed

Meanwhile, a traffic enforcer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was arrested yesterday for allegedly extorting money from a truck driver in Quezon City.

Jacinto Palisoc, 41, was nabbed by members of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and Special Operating Unit along Mindanao Avenue in Barangay Tandang Sora.

Police set up an entrapment operation against Palisoc after truck driver Ruperto Capena complained that the suspect had repeatedly extorted money from him.

Capena said he was pulled over by Palisoc several times in December last year along Mindanao Avenue.