Cop arrested after getting P3,000 from mom of drug suspect

Executive MSgt Julius Medura Obanona is being handcuffed after allegedly receiving P3,000 in extortion money from the parents of a drug suspect. PHOTO FROM IMEG CENTRAL VISAYAS

CEBU CITY—A police intelligence officer in Carmen town, north Cebu was arrested on Friday (March 12) for allegedly extorting money from the family of an arrested drug suspect.

Executive MSgt. Julius Medura Obañana was accused of receiving P3,000 from the mother of the drug suspect in an entrapment operation.

According to Maj. Alejandro Batobalonos, chief of the police’s Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) in Central Visayas, Obañana earlier arrested a drug suspect and confiscated the suspect’s motorcycle.

The motorcycle, however, was not logged as evidence in the police spot report. When the parents of the drug suspect asked for the release of the motorcycle, Obañana allegedly demanded P3,000.

The parents of the drug suspect sought help from IMEG which planned an entrapment operation.

Obañana refused to answer queries from the media.

Batobalonos said the arrest of Obañana was part of the ongoing internal cleansing of the police force.

“It is sad that for a mere P3,000 cash, the policeman’s 24 years of service went down the drain,” he said.

TSB