Two policemen assigned in Pasig City were arrested for allegedly robbing and extorting money from a resident of Cainta, Rizal whom they accused of being involved in illegal drugs activities.
They were identified as Police Senior Master Sgt. Michael Rosete Familara, 47, desk officer of Sub-Station 7, Station 2 of Psgic City; and, Police Corporal Nathaniel Buenaventura, 30, designated as beat patroller of the same station.
Police Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon, director of the police's Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), said the two policemen were arrested along with their alleged civilian accomplices identified as Juan Carlo Zapanta and Carl Anito.
De Leon said they started working on the case after receiving a complaint from the victim of an illegal operation and subsequent extortion activity.
Based on the complaint of the victim, four men entered their house in Cainta at around 11 p.m. on Oct. 18 and she was told that it was an anti-illegal drugs operation.
The gunmen allegedly took P10,000 cash and even the coin bank of her daughter before she was taken to the police station.
"The complainant was allegedly arrested for illegal drug use and was brought to the vicinity of Pasig City Police Station but was not detained," said de Leon.
The suspects then demanded P100,000 from her in exchange for the dropping of a drug-related case that would be filed against her. The suspects then agreed to P10,000 that will be sent via an electronic wallet app.
De Leon said the complaint first sent P6,000 in the morning of Oct. 19 and it was then that she was taken back to her house.
"In the afternoon of the same date, she was brought back to her residence with the remaining balance of P 000.00. The suspects keep on contacting her asking for the balance. Due to fear she went to her sister in Taguig City but on Oct. 23, her brother convinced her to seek for help of IMEG so that she can go back peacefully to their house in Cainta," said de Leon.
The four arrested suspects were collared in an entrapment operation on Monday night after receiving the marked money amounting to P4,000.
Also seized were a small heat sealed transparent plastic sachet containing shabu; two handguns, one of them was PNP-issued; one replica of a .45 pistol, a motorcycle and three cellular phones.
Based on the background check, de Leon said the two arrested cops have been in the counter-intelligence data for abuses.
He said Buenaventura was involved in a mauling incident and illegal discharge of firearms while Familiara for estafa and swindling.
They were taken to the IMEG headquarters at Camp Crame and now facing both criminal and administrative charges that could lead to their dismissal from the service.