Seven former personnel of the Las Piñas City Police linked to alleged kidnapping and extortion have surrendered to authorities.
PO1 Erickson Rivera was the first to surrender to the police on Wednesday. His alleged cohorts —PO3 Joel Lupig, PO2 Vener Guanlao, PO1 Mark Jefferson Fulgenio, PO1 Jeffrey De Leon, PO2 Jayson Arrelano, and PO1 Raymart Gomez — later surrendered on the same day, police said on Thursday.
The police officers were accompanied by their lawyers and relatives, according to the police report.
Their surrender stemmed from an entrapment operation for alleged robbery-extortion incident launched on November 21 by joint police units, which led to the arrest of a 13-year-old student.
The student identified his cohorts as the officers of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit of Las Piñas City Police. The suspects, however, evaded arrest at the time.
The suspects allegedly kidnapped and accused a minor of selling drugs but promised to release him in exchange of P200,000.
Reports said negotiations between the parties lowered the amount to P30,000, which was received by the student through the victim’s sister.
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, relieved Las Piñas City police chief Senior Supt. Marion Balonglong and the entire anti-narcotics unit composed of 36 operatives to allow an impartial probe on the incident.
READ: Eleazar fires entire Las Piñas police’s anti-drug unit after extortion
Kidnapping charges have been filed against the suspects before the Cavite Regional Trial Court while administrative charges are also being prepared against them. The police have also started their investigation on the incident. /ee