Manhunt on for 2 Caloocan ‘kotong’ cops

MANILA, Philippines — Months after the entire Caloocan City police force was relieved over the killings of three teenagers, a manhunt has been declared for two police officers and a civilian for allegedly trying to extort money from a man they arrested for illegal drugs. 

Chief Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo, Counter Intelligence Task Force director, said yesterday the CITF is investigating the “kotong“complaint of Joel Manansala, who said members of the Caloocan Police Community Precinct (PCP) 5 were demanding P300,000 in exchange for not filing drug charges against him.

Malayo said the Caloocan police is searching for Police Officers 1 John Paul Bautista and Emerson Santillan, who have been absent without official leave since Feb. 21, and informant Christian Hernandez.

CITF spokesman Chief Inspector Jewel Nicanor said the Caloocan PCP 5 turned Manansala over to the CITF on Saturday after a foiled entrapment operation.

The CITF’s investigation showed Manansala was arrested by PCP 5 personnel on drug charges without a warrant in his house in Cielito Village at around 10 p.m., Nicanor said.

He said the policemen took Manansala’s television set and P3,000 cash and took him to the PCP 5.
Manansala claimed that while he was in the precinct, one of the arresting officers demanded P300,000 for him to avoid being charged.

When his partner visited him on Feb. 23, Manansala said a “negotiator” followed up the demand, telling them to give the money by 5 p.m. that day.
Since they had no money, Manansala said his partner sought the help of the CITF, which initiated an entrapment operation.   

Manansala said the negotiator agreed to accept the initial amount of P10,000 but cut off the communication when Manansala’s partner was in the PCP.

Nicanor said the CITF found out Manansala was indeed arrested and locked up in PCP 5 since Feb. 20.

“The CITF investigator found no record of his arrest in the PCP. The arresting officers were identified as  Bautista and Santillan,” Nicanor added, and the negotiator identified as Fernandez, a “police asset.”

“The Caloocan City police is conducting manhunt operation for the three identified suspects while CITF is also conducting follow-up investigation and operation,” he said.

About 1,000 members of the Caloocan police were sent for retraining after the killing of the three teenagers in August last year.