By Dhel Nazario
A traffic enforcer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) who demanded money in exchange of non-apprehension was arrested in an entrapment staged by police in Malibay, Pasay City on Saturday.
(PIXABAY / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) identified the traffic enforcer as Emilio Guinto, who was arrested in front of a drug store on EDSA after receiving P5,000 in marked money.
Guinto’s arrest stemmed from the complaint filed by Herbert Natividad and Van Lester Dimanlig, both employees of a club in Pasay City, before the CITF.
Investigation showed that last October 18, the complainants’ vehicle, a Toyota Grandia, was flagged down by Guinto near the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay City.
Guinto, who had allegedly introduced himself as a police officer, told Dimanlig that his van was a colorum vehicle and had to be impounded unless he came up with P5,000, the CITF said.
Since Dimanlig did not have the money, Guinto let him go but got the cell phone number of his team leader, Natividad.
On Friday, October 19, Natividad received a series of calls from Guinto, reiterating the demand for P5,000 in exchange for non-apprehension and non-impoundment of the van.
When Natividad told Guinto that he did not have the money, the suspect allegedly set the payoff the following day (October 20) at a fastfood branch on EDSA.
At this juncture, Natividad and Dimanlig sought the help of the CITF, thinking that Guinto was the policeman he said he was.
The entrapment planned by the CITF pushed through this morning when Guinto received the P5,000 in marked money from the complainants only to be arrested at the drug store beside the fastfood branch moments later.
Upon further investigation by the CITF, Guinto turned out to be an MMDA traffic enforcer and not a policeman.
Appropriate charges were set to be filed against him, the CITF said.