AUTHORITIES arrested on Tuesday, April 24, two police personnel allegedly engaged in the extortion of public utility vehicle drivers in an illegal terminal in Malibay, Pasay City in Metro Manila.
Police Officer 2 Jerry Adjanu Jubail and Police Officer 1 Michael Mindevil Domalanta were arrested in an entrapment operation by agents of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF).
CITF director Senior Superintendent Chiquito Malayo said they conducted the entrapment after receiving reports that Jubail and Domalanta were collecting P300 to P500 per day from each van and bus driver at an illegal terminal in the said area.
Malayo said the two were earning approximately P5,000 each day.
“They are members of PCP (Police Community Precinct) ng Malibay station 7, nasasakupan nila itong terminal (the terminal is under their jurisdiction). They have the influence and jurisdiction. We also received some reports na in fact ‘yung mga colorum na buses ay ini-eskortan pa nila palabas (they even escort the colorum buses),” said Malayo.
“May organization itong mga vans at bus merong silang taong ina-appoint to collect from P300-P500 na kukunin sa mga bus drivers para makabiyahe (The drivers of these vans and buses have an organization, which has appointed a person who collects P300-P500 from each driver before they pull out of the terminal),” he added.
Malayo said they have been receiving reports about the two police personnel’s extortion activities since March. Instead of dismantling the illegal terminal amid the government’s campaign against colorum vehicles, the two officers are tolerating it in exchange for daily payola.
“The Chief PNP is very clear on his mandate na i-enhance ‘yung internal cleansing down to the lowest level so we are requesting also the supervisors na i-advice ang mga pulis na mag align na sa gusto ng Chief PNP at Presidente na maging matuwid,” he said.
Since the CITF was created last year to weed out erring policemen from the PNP, Malayo said they have arrested 71 police personnel engaged in different illegal activities.
In a bid to instill discipline among the 190,000 strong PNP, newly-installed PNP chief Oscar Albayalde warned the bad eggs in the police agency to resign as early as they can before their illegal deeds are discovered. (SunStar Philippines)