Pasig traffic enforcer nabbed for extort try

MANILA, Philippines — A traffic enforcer was arrested for extorting P2,000 from a truck driver he arrested for a traffic violation in Pasig City on Saturday afternoon.

Apollo Larena, 43, of the Pasig City Traffic and Parking Management Office, did not resist arrest when cornered by M/Sgt. Joel Laraya during an entrapment operation along Elisco road in Barangay Kalawaan at about 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Larena yielded the P2,000 marked money.

Pasig City police chief Col. Moises Villaceran said Larena flagged down the mini dump truck, with license number CAB 9272 and driven by William Mejia, along M. Concepcion street in Barangay Buting at about 10:30 a.m. on Saturday because his vehicle did not have a rear license plate.

Instead of issuing a traffic violation receipt, Larena demanded P2,000 from Mejia, who pleaded that he had only P500 with him.

Larena threatened Mejia that he would be flagged down once again and his vehicle be impounded if he failed to come up with the money.

Instead of going home to get additional money, Mejia reported the extortion try to Villaceran, who immediately dispatched Laraya to have Larena arrested.

Larena is presently detained at the locked up jail of the Pasig City police pending the filing of extortion charges against him before the city’s prosecutor’s office.