A POLICE officer and his four companions were arrested by local police for allegedly collecting money from truck drivers passing by the San Simon exit of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).
Police said the suspects were arrested in an entrapment operation conducted along MacArthur highway near the San Simon exit of Apalit town, Pampanga Friday.
Colonel Arnold Ibay, Pampanga police provincial director, identified the arrested persons as Corporal Leomar Calegan, 37, and resident of Barangay Maimpis, City of San Fernando City; Marlon de Guzman, 39, Michael Maniulit, 50, and Noel Manarang, all Apalit town; and Menard Mendoza, 23, of Masantol, Pampanga.
Ibay said joint operatives of Pampanga police, Apalit police and Regional Mobile Force Battalion conducted the entrapment operation against the policeman and members of Truck Ban Traffic Management Office of Apalit town.
Seized from the group were assorted identification cards; Philippine National Police ID; one Caliber 9-millimeter pistol, Glock 17 with two magazines, 30 pieces of ammunition, cash amounting to P804,170 believed to be the total amount of collected money from truck drivers and two pieces of P500 bills marked money.
Ibay said the police officer is now facing criminal and administrative charges for allegedly extorting money from cargo trucks in Pampanga. (Ric Sapnu)