DOJ junks extortion case vs HPG official

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the charges filed against a ranking official of the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) who was arrested for alleged extortion in his office at Camp Crame in June.

In an 11-page resolution dated July 15 and obtained by The STAR over the weekend, Assistant State Prosecutor Consuelo Corazon Pazziuagan dismissed for lack of probable cause the complaints against Maj. Raul Salle for robbery with intimidation, grave coercion, swindling as well as violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees.

The resolution was approved by Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento and Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva.

The police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) apprehended Salle on June 26 based on the complaint of Ma. April Ochenta.

Ochenta claimed that the police official demanded P420,000 in exchange for the release of her impounded Mitsubishi Adventure.

She said she went to the HPG to report that her car was stolen.

Salle allegedly demanded P140,000 to start the probe and instructed Ochenta to borrow P70,000 from a non-uniformed personnel, Alex Barquez, as part of down payment.

When she was about to claim her car, Ochenta said Salle again asked for P300,000, prompting her to report the incident to the IMEG.

After careful evaluation of the testimonies and evidence submitted by both parties, the DOJ cleared Salle of the charges.

Salle submitted evidence to the DOJ, which showed that Ochenta owed him P420,000 in loans since November 2018.

The complainant also pawned her vehicle to Salle as payment.

“The complainant agreed to the suggestion of the police official to mortgage her vehicle so she can pay her debt,” the resolution read.

Salle and Ochenta first met at the HPG headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City while she was processing the transfer of registration of her vehicle.

Salle said Ochenta has borrowed money from him on various occasions.

The DOJ said Salle could not be charged with robbery as there was no intent to gain when he took the vehicle since it was offered by the complainant herself.

The police official could not be held liable for swindling because the transaction was that of a simple loan, the prosecutor said.

The complaint for grave coercion against Salle was also dropped as Ochenta did not state the specific acts, which would have constituted the offense.

The DOJ said Salle could not be held liable for graft as the transaction between him and his accuser was personal and did not involve his duties as a police officer.

A relative of Salle who spoke on condition of anonymity said the IMEG should have investigated the allegations first before they humiliated the police official in public.

Salle’s children were traumatized when they saw him on television in handcuffs.

“It was devastating for his children as he spent almost one month in jail,” the relative said in a Facebook post.