Rookie cop in hot water for alleged extortion

A rookie on the Manila police force was arrested for allegedly extorting money from a Korean national in Malate, Manila, on Monday evening.

Police Officer 1 Fredelin Esguerra, assigned at the Regional Public Safety Batallion of the NCRPO, reportedly demanded P20,000 from Jae Wan Koo, a  contact lens distributor, for the return of his personal belongings the policeman and his cohort Dennis Bautista allegedly took from his car.

The items included a laptop, an iPhone, 70,000 Korean won (about P2,600)  and P10,000 in cash inside  the victim’s car parked along Mabini Street in Ermita.

The victim said he called his phone and talked to Esguerra who asked to meet him in a restaurant. During the meeting, Esguerra asked for P20,000  for the  return of all the items. However, the victim said he was able to reduce the amount to P7,000.—Nancy C. Carvajal