MPD searching for cop tagged in 2 robberies

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) is looking for a policeman who reportedly robbed a calamansi vendor and a jeepney operator.

Roger Bagui, 25, a calamansi retailer in Divisoria, went to the MPD’s general assignment section yesterday morning to report that a policeman who identified himself as “Salamat or David” and at gunpoint took his belt bag, which contained P152,000, along Bilbao street in Tondo at past 2 a.m.

Bagui said he recognized the policeman because he often made rounds in Divisoria, extorting money from vendors.

Senior Police Officer 3 James Poso and Police Officer 3 Gilbert Isole, who are investigating the case, told The STAR that a complaint against the same policeman was filed on Feb. 24.

Poso said jeepney operator Eric Castillo was counting the money remitted by the drivers of his 27 jeepneys when a man barged into his garage, identified himself as a police officer, and took all of his money at gunpoint.

Isole said they asked the complainants to come back on Monday so they could be shown the pictures of all Manila policemen.

Both complainants said the policeman wore a “type B” uniform, which consists of regular police pants paired with either a white collarless shirt or a collared blue shirt with the word “police” written across the back. Bagui said the policeman told him he was with MPD Station 7 while Castillo said the suspect told him he was with MPD Station 4.

The investigators said the suspect wore a type B uniform so he would not be identified through the nameplate attached to the regular police uniform.