9 Makati policemen suspended for extortion

Metro police chief Director Geary Barias ordered the relief of the head of the Makati City police anti-drug unit and eight of his men for alleged robbery extortion, direct assault and acts of lasciviousness complaint lodged by four women they arrested for possession of illegal drugs on Aug. 27.

Barias disarmed and slapped the nine policemen with a 90-day suspension and re-assigned them to the headquarters of the National Capital Regional Police Office in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

“We are unrelenting in our drive to flush out misfits in uniform within our rank. We will not tolerate this kind of wrongdoing by NCRPO personnel,” said Barias, as he vowed to initiate summary dismissal proceedings against the nine policemen.

Ordered relieved by Barias from the Makati City police were Chief Inspector Arwen de Silva Nacional, head of the anti-drug unit of the local police; and eight of his men — PO1 Michelle Gimena, PO1 Michael Acedera, PO1 Percival Mendoza, PO2 Victoriano Cruz Jr., PO1 Jaime Orante Jr., PO2 Julius Lique, PO2 rene Aseboque, and PO3 Esterio Ruiz.

Senior Superintendent Clarence Quinto, chief of the NCRPO’s regional investigation and detective management division said the nine policemen arrested Jemma Palo, 25; Ruby Dancel, 24; Lyza Alano, 23; and Mariz Alano, 18, for drug possession on Aug. 27 along 9th Street, Pio del Pilar West Rembo, Makati City.

Quinto said the policemen demanded P150,000 from the suspects whose families were able to raise only P104,000. After their release, the suspects kept on pestering the four women for the remaining balance of the “agreed amount” prompting them to seek the assistance of the Imbestigador TV program.

The TV program sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation resulting to the arrest of Nacional during an entrapment operation along a gas station in the corner of Buendia and Makati Avenues on Aug. 29.

Considering that the offense committed by the nine policemen is serious, Barias found enough probable evidence to indict Nacional and his men of the charges lobbed against them.

The Metro police chief also requested the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for the cancellation of the nine policemen’s PDEA deputation to prevent them from using it further in their illegal racket.