THE Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has ordered an investigation on a rookie policeman who allegedly asked bribes from cigarette vendors in uptown Cebu City.
Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas said the investigation unit of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will conduct inquiry on the accusation against PO1 Belindo Ricafort of Police Station 2.
The inquiry stemmed from a column written by Sun.Star Cebu and Superbalita columnist Bobby Nalzaro, who received an e-mail from a person who complained that Ricafort arrested vendors, brought them to the police station and demanded P500 for their immediate release.
Denial
Ricafort would allegedly make up a case that the vendors committed like illegal gambling if they refused to pay, but those who shelled out the P500 were not given receipts.
Ricafort, for his part, denied the accusations.
“In my whole life I cannot recall having money that I didn’t work hard for,” he told reporters in Cebuano. “My conscience is clear.”
He said he never arrested sidewalk vendors, but reprimanded them in a polite manner.
“There are persons who got hurt by the nature of our job,” said Ricafort.
He was assigned in uptown Cebu City as part of the beat patrol team two years ago.
The police officer said he sympathizes with the vendors because he used to sell vegetables before he joined the police force.
Lawas said the CCPO investigators must go to the “area and talk to cigarette vendors if they are the ones victimized or being subjected to this type of illegal, unusual activity of our policeman using his rank and position.”
Lawas said charges can be filed if there is enough evidence against Ricafort.
He also urged the person who e-mailed Nalzaro to execute an affidavit because there has to be a complainant if ever a case will be filed against Ricafort.