2 Cavite cops, companion arrested over ‘kotong’

Two policemen were arrested by their colleagues in an entrapment operation on Tuesday over complaints of extortion (“kotong”) as they, along with an official of the city government of Bacoor, were allegedly demanding “protection money” from transport groups in Cavite province.

Senior Master Sgt. Joselito Bugay and Staff Sgt. Dave Gregor Bautista, both of the Bacoor City police station, were arrested during an entrapment operation by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at a gasoline station along Molino Road.

“These individuals stand accused of collecting monthly payments known as ‘payola’ from tricycle operators, driver associations and other transport groups,” PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Wednesday.

“It is estimated that the amount collected is around P1.5 million per month with an average of P130,000 per transport group,” he added.

The operation also resulted in the arrest of John Louie de Leon, who allegedly collects the monthly payments.

Acorda said Lt. Col. Jesson Bombasi, the Bacoor police chief, would be relieved under the doctrine of command responsibility. Lt. Col. Juan Oruga Jr. has been named officer in charge of the Bacoor police.

Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., CIDG director, said they launched an operation to arrest the policemen’s accomplice, Edralin Gawaran, officer in charge of the Bacoor Traffic Management Department.

Caramat said the suspects had been collecting payments since February, promising drivers and operators that they would not be cited for traffic violations. The payola, according to one of the complaints, was supposedly intended for officials of Bacoor’s traffic management department and other people.

—DEXTER CABALZA

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