A SENIOR police sergeant was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-corruption unit for charging P20,000 for the release of a car that was involved in an accident.

Police Chief Master Sergeant Mendy Gutierrez of Taguig Police Station 1 Vehicular Traffic Investigation Section was arrested by agents of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and operatives of the Highway Patrol Group in an entrapment operation after he received P20,000 in exchange for the release of an impounded car that was involved in an accident.

In a statement, police said HPG and IMEG operatives initiated the entrapment operation against Gutierrez after a foreigner who was involved in a car crash filed a complaint.

The complainant, whom police did not identify, said he was earlier forced to pay P500,000 to purportedly settle the medical expenses of the car crash victim.

The complainant said he was again coerced to pay P20,000 for alleged traffic “fines” and penalties incidental to the incident, police said. (SunStar Philippines from PR)