FIVE policemen assigned in Zamboanga City were arrested in an entrapment operation for extortion on Monday, March 22, 2021.
Major Orlyn Leyte, officer in-charge of Police Station 9 of Zamboanga City Police Station, and four of his men, namely, Staff Sergeants (SSg) Hegenio Salvador and Asser Abdulkadim, and Corporals Ismael Sasapan and Juman Arabani were arrested by personnel of the Philippine National Police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) at 6:45 p.m. in Barangay Ayala.
Charges of robbery extortion and violation of RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Official and Employees are being prepared against the five erring officers, said PNP officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar.
Complainant Melanie Casabuena Saloria alleged that Leyte demanded P90,000 from her as "settlement" for her alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
Eleazar said the IMEG personnel recovered from the five suspects marked money amounting to P2,000, 88 pieces of 1,000 peso bills boodle money and a Beretta 9mm pistol with three loaded magazines.
The five suspects are temporarily detained at the Zamboanga City Police Office. They will be placed under automatic leave of absence while under detention, Eleazar said.
"The PNP will not tolerate personnel engaging in any unlawful and illegal acts. Officers must serve as role model to their subordinates," Eleazar added. (SunStar Philippines)