4 MPD cops nabbed for P.2 million extortion

MANILA, Philippines — Four policemen were arrested at a police precinct in Manila on Wednesday for allegedly extorting P200,000 from the family of a man arrested on drug charges.

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, said yesterday he has ordered the conduct of summary dismissal proceedings against Corporals Nickson Mina, Juan Carlo de Guzman, Francis Mikko Gagarino and Pat. Tom Hikilan, all beat policemen of Manila Police District Station 5.

The lawmen are being held at the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group’s detention facility at Camp Crame.

IMEG chief Col. Ronald Lee said Kelvie Panansang’s wife filed a formal complaint against the four policemen for kidnapping her husband and demanding P500,000 for his release.

Panansang was arrested for drug pushing but posted bail several days ago. He then went to Bicol for a vacation.

“While Panansang was away, the policemen started arresting his relatives, who shelled amounts ranging from P15,000 to P50,000 for their release. They were made milking cows,” Lee said in an interview.

Early this week, Panansang arrived in Tondo to visit his 19-year-old wife.

The four policemen arrested him and demanded P500,000 for his immediate release. The amount was lowered to P200,000 after a series of negotiations, Lee said.

Unknown to the lawmen, Panansang’s wife sought the assistance of IMEG, which staged an entrapment operation.

Sinas said the four policemen were arrested after receiving the marked money in the precinct at Baseco, Tondo.

Lee said Panansang was found in the precinct’s detention facility.

“There was no record of his arrest in the police blotter nor in any document of the (precinct),” he said.

Lee ordered the four policemen charged with kidnapping and extortion before the Manila prosecutor’s office.