4 cops nabbed for extorting money from drug suspect

MANILA, Philippines — Four policemen were arrested for allegedly asking for a P200,000 bribe in exchange for the release of a drug suspect.

The National Capital Region Police Office on Thursday identified the four policemen as Cpl. Nickson Mina, Cpl. Juan Carlo Guzman, Cpl. Fransis Mikko Gagarin, and Pat. Tom Hikilan,  all are members of the beat patrol team of the Manila Police District Station 5.

They were arrested at around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday by joint police units after allegedly receiving P200,000 marked cash from the complainant in an entrapment operation at the Baseco Police Community Precinct, according to a report by the NCRPO.

Recovered from the suspects were the marked money, identification cards and 9mm pistols issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The wife of the arrested drug suspect reported to the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group that the policemen were demanding a P500,000 bribe so her husband, arrested last November 12, would be released. The amount was later lowered to  P200,000.

Police said that extortion and grave misconduct charges would be filed against the four policemen.