COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE operatives arrested on Wednesday two police officers who were allegedly involved in extortion activities at a transport terminal in Pasay City.
Corporals Reynald Pallangeo Macwes and Jimuel Ilagan Bernal, both assigned at the Pasay City Community Precinct 7, were arrested in an entrapment operation inside the Grand Transport Terminal along Edsa in Malibay, Pasay City around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2019.
Their superior, Captain Mark Oyad, is also under investigation because he allegedly threatened to raise the amount collected from the drivers instead of acting on the complaint.
Colonel Ronald Lee, acting director of the Integrity Monitoring Enforcement Group (IMEG), said the two officers were nabbed after receiving P100 entrapment money.
Lee said the operation stemmed from a report that the two were demanding P100 from each driver of public utility bus and vans passing through the terminal.
According to IMEG, the complainants sought of Oyad, but instead of acting on the complaint, Oyad allegedly threatened to raise the daily collection to P1,000 for every trip.
The suspects are under the custody of IMEG for documentation and proper disposition prior to the filing of appropriate criminal and administrative charges.
The monthly base pay of police corporals is at least P30,000.
Meanwhile, the officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa, reminded the 195,000-strong PNP anew to refrain from any illegal acts that may stain the image of the organization.
“Time and again, the PNP leadership will be always relentless to cleanse our ranks. And I reiterate no PNP personnel shall be allowed to take in whatever form of material or monetary consideration from operators, including any form of bribe, grease money or ‘kotong’," Gamboa said. (SunStar Philippines)