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Thursday, October 23, 2003
2 cops exposed on tong demand
By Minerva B. Gerodias
CEBU –- A self-confessed video carrera operator came to the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to file a complaint against two Vice Control Section policemen.
The complainant told IAS investigators that PO2 Rey Albotra and PO3 Matthew Yanson have been collecting protection money from him and claiming that the collection is for their superior.
IAS investigator Felix Bihay asked reporters not to name the complainant yet until he signs his affidavit.
The complainant said he was told to collect money from drug lords in his area and that something would happen to him if he refused. This prompted him to report to the IAS.
The two policemen were not available for comment Wednesday.
Cebu City Police Office Chief Cecil Ezra Sandalo welcomed the development, saying the investigation will have a direction now that a complainant has come out.
“That’s good. By this, we would know who (policemen) are involved and we can properly sanction them. This is the report that I want, substantiated and clear as to who were involved,” Sandalo said.
In his unsigned statement, the complainant narrated that last Oct. 6, about eight policemen stormed his house in Duljo Fatima, searched the area and confiscated seven video carrera machines in his premises.
After the policemen brought the video carrera machines, the complainant asked his cousin to check if the confiscation was properly recorded.
He found out that only two were recorded in the blotter.
He identified Albotra and Yanson as among the eight officers who came to his place. He also alleged that these policemen have been collecting between P3,000 and P6,000 cash a week from him, depending on the income of his video carrera.
Yanson and Albotra have been relieved from the Vice Control Section and are now with the Security and Service Group effective last week when Sandalo first heard of the allegations.
Bihay, for his part said, he will be looking into three aspects in the complaint—unlawful searching, dishonesty for not recording the actual number of machines confiscated and extortion.
Meanwhile, Sandalo said he did not see any irregularity on the alleged release of a drug suspect by San Nicolas police.
This is because the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) policemen, the arresting officers, did not execute an affidavit against suspect Henry Obatay.
The policemen reportedly did not get the pack of shabu from Obatay’s possession but from the seat of the trisikad he was riding.
As a result, San Nicolas police had to release Obatay.
PO1 Bryan Beringer and PO1 Mercedarios Balabat were manning a checkpoint last Monday in Pasil and picked up Obatay when they found the pack of shabu in a cigarette pack.
The RMG police was part of those deployed in Suba and Pasil for the drug-free barangay program of PRO 7.
Acting Pasil Barangay Captain Mario Bitang had threatened not to support the police after he heard the report that a drug suspect was released by San Nicolas police. Sun.Star Cebu
(October 23, 2003 issue)
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