Extort try bared

In acquitting Jovel Entote of the charge of car theft with homicide, Judge Eleuterio Bathan of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 92 Thursday cited a police official’s alleged attempt to extort P8 million from the so-called “godfather” of carjack gangs  in the country.

In addition, two of the prosecution’s witnesses said they were offered P500,000 if they would leave their houses although it was not clear who made the offer, he noted in his decision.

Bathan pointed to the testimony of Jovel Entote that on Aug. 7, he was arrested without a warrant  at an exclusive sports and recreation club in Cebu province.

According to Entote, he was about to board his car when two policemen apprehended him and brought him to a house in front of the Police Regional Office 7 headquarters on Jones Avenue in Cebu City.

“Upon arrival there, they brought him inside and there the accused first met Col. (Supt.) Romualdo Iglesia …,” the judge said, adding that Entote was told one of the arresting officers, PO2 Russel Dominguez, would question him.

According to Entote, Dominguez informed him that he was facing a qualified car theft charge which was punishable by reclusion perpetua.

Dominguez, however, offered to help him, the accused added.

When Entote’s lawyer, Kim Mendoza, arrived at the police station, the suspect asked her to step outside with his wife so that he could talk to Iglesia and Dominguez alone.

Bathan said that based on Entote’s statement, Iglesia offered the services of his lawyer but this was turned down by the suspect. At this point, the police official said he might be able to help the suspect should the latter pay him P8 million because he (Iglesia) was in charge of the witnesses.

When Entote refused, he was told by Dominguez that the only way out for him was to cough up money. “We are your only hope. We are the only ones who can help you,” Dominguez told him, the suspect claimed.

Arsenio Evangelista, the father of slain car dealer Venson Evangelista, said that the alleged extortion attempt may have been given weight by the judge in his decision to acquit Entote.

“It was not explained in detail if it was only an attempt or if it was [consummated]. I was searching for something specific like if money did change hands,” he added.