Friday, February 15, 2008
Cop in extortion case framed up: ex official
A RETIRED police official came out to defend a traffic policeman arrested last Monday in an entrapment by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 for alleged extortion attempt.
Retired Col. Antonio Medija, who went to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) for an interview with the media, believes PO3 Romeo Cabrera, a member of the Cebu City Traffic Police Section was a victim of a “frame up.”
Cabrera was arrested and is now facing charges of violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and two provisions of the Revised Penal Code after he allegedly demanded P50,000 cash and a date from Almar Cabahug.
Cabahug is the girlfriend of Patrick Tambog who was arrested by Cabrera after figuring in a vehicular accident last week.
Tambog’s car accidentally hit a jeepney owned by Gerardo Cristobal along Parian St., at 1 p.m. last Feb. 8.
damage
In an interview yesterday, Medija claimed he was the one who asked Cabrera to get from Cabahug the P10,000 as initial payment for the repair of the damaged jeepney owned by Gerardo Cristobal, his friend. The jeepney’s damage is worth P20,500.
Medija said Tambog promised to pay the remaining P10,500 later.
Medija said he was appointed by Cristobal, the father-in-law of his son, as a spokesperson last Feb. 10 because Cristobal is a paralytic.
When asked by reporters why he requested Cabrera to receive the money instead of getting it himself, Medija said the traffic policeman was the one investigating the case and that Cabrera and Cabahug have already seen each other.
“The woman does not know me. I do not think she will trust me,” he said.
He said before Cabrera went to the fast-food outlet last Monday, Cabahug called up the traffic policeman telling him that the money was already available.
Medija said he tried asking Cabahug to just go directly to the City Traffic Operations Management Office (Citom) to give the money, but the woman reportedly refused and instead asked Cabrera to meet her at the fast-food along Leon Kilat St.
As to the exchange of text messages between Cabahug and Cabrera, wherein the policeman allegedly demanded P50,000 and a date from the woman, Medija said he could not comment on it because he is not privy to the issue.
CCPO Director Patrocinio Comendador, in a separate interview, reiterated that CCPO will support the NBI 7 in investigating Cabrera.
Comendador said Cabrera’s act of going to the fastfood to get the money in behalf of the jeepney owner is unethical.
“Dapat dili moapil sa settlement sa kaso (He should not get involved in the settlement of the case),” he said. (JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 15, 2008 issue)
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