Pubdate: Thu, 05 Aug 2004
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2004
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Christina Mendez
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.)

3 'EXTORT' COPS ARRESTED

Three Mandaluyong policemen and an errand boy were arrested during an 
entrapment operation by operatives of the Philippine National 
Police-Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Task Force (PNP-AID-SOTF) over 
complaints that they allegedly attempted to extort P150,000 from two drugs 
suspects yesterday afternoon.

The policemen were identified as PO1 Salvador del Mundo, PO1 Jefferson 
Gonzales and SPO3 Robert Castalione, all assigned at the Mandaluyong City 
police station. The fourth suspect, Dennis Soriano, an errand boy at the 
police station, was also nabbed by anti-drug operatives at the station at 
around 2:30 p.m.

Four other Mandaluyong cops were also invited for questioning by AID-SOTF 
agents to clear their names, said AID-SOTF team leader Superintendent 
Arnold Aguilar.

Aguilar and his team swooped down on the police station after they received 
complaints from the parents of two arrested drug suspects that the 
Mandaluyong cops were asking money in exchange of their freedom and the 
non-filing of drug charges.

The AID-SOTF raid on the police station created turmoil among the 
anti-drugs operatives and some station officers.

When sought for comment, Eastern Police District director Chief 
Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela said he would not interfere in the 
investigation of the case, but he appealed to AIDSOTF operatives to conduct 
necessary coordination efforts with his officers or immediate station 
commanders next time to avoid any mis-encounter.

Initial reports said the three policemen sent Soriano as their "emissary" 
to get P20,000 from the mother of one of the drug suspects just outside the 
station. The money, already laced with ultraviolet powder, was placed by 
Soriano in a plastic bag before he went back to the police station to hand 
over the money to Del Mundo, Castalione and Gonzales.

Police pounced on Soriano shortly after he stepped inside the station. He 
also pointed to the three policemen as the ones who asked him to fetch the 
bribe money from the mother.

In their verbal complaint to AID-SOTF operatives, the drug suspects' 
families claimed the local policemen demanded P100,000 and P50,000 from 
each of them.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager