PNP’s anti-scalawag team arrests 2 mulcting Manila cops

Two members of Manila Police District were the first to be arrested in the Philippine National Police's internal cleansing after being caught in the act of extorting money from motorists and taxi drivers in Manila on Sunday.

The suspects were identified as ?Senior Police Officer 1 Rodito Magluyan? and Police Officer 3 Roel Candelario, both members of the MPD Station 9 (Malate).

Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) director Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo said they received report on the alleged illegal activities of the two policemen, through their hotline numbers.

"Noong matanggap namin 'yung report, nag-conduct kami ng validation, surveillance, and casing and when we found out na positive yung complaint, nag-conduct na kami ng entrapment," he told reporters.

He said Magluyan and Candelario wre arested by joint CITF and MPD personnel in Quirino Avenue corner Mother Ignacia Street in Malate around 3:50 a.m. on Sunday.

"Nahuli natin sila extorting money from motorists, especially taxi drivers," he said.

He said the two were hiding in dark alleys from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. and would come out whenever they spot their target.

"Ipa-flag down nila yung motorist tapos hihingan nila ng pera in exchange of some violations, yung taxi drivers magbibigay na lang ng pera sa kanila," he said.

"They are coming out from the dark, they are violating the procedure of checkpoint because sa amin ay lighted at dapat they are using government vehicle," he added.

He said a CITF operative posed as a taxi driver, who was eventually victimized by the suspect.

"Meron kaming poseur driver sa taxi tapos nung magawa na yung crime saka pumasok yung entrapment team natin," he said.

Malayo asked the victims of the suspects to come out and file charges.

The suspects were presented for inquest proceeding at the Manila Prosecutor's Office around 7:15 p.m. of February 12.

Assistant City Prosecutor Reynaldo P Tomas Jr. had recommended the filing of information for the crime of robbery-extortion against the two policemen.

They were presented to the court for filing of charges Monday morning.

Magluyan denied the accusations when asked by reporters. —ALG, GMA News