Businesswoman asks Ombudsman to probe police official

A MASSAGE parlor owner yesterday filed a complaint against a police official who allegedly demanded money from her.

Aida Basergo requested the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas to investigate Senior Supt. Vicente Premne.

Basergor said Premne allegedly demanded money from her when he was the deputy chief of the Mandaue City Police Office in 2010.

Basergo, who owns a massage parlors in the cities on Mandaue and Cebu, said Premne introduced himself as a high ranking police officer and vowed that she won’t encounter any problem with regard to her business.

But Premne, who is presently assigned in Mindanao, later demanded money from Basergo for “protection and security.”

“Considering that he was assigned in Mandaue City where one of my massage spa was situated and his persistent demand for money, I was left with no choice but to give him amounts of money sometimes on a weekly or monthly basis,” the complainant said in her affidavit.

Basergo claimed she won P26 million in a lottery in 2010.

She was surprised upon learning that Premne filed charges of estafa filed against her in court.

Basergo said an arrest warrant was also issued against her.

“I was shocked why would there be a case and warrant of arrest against me when I did not receive any notice or subpoena from the court or from the prosecutors’ office,” she said.

Basergo said Premne made her a “milking cow.” She said Preme also took her car.

She said the respondent filed charges against her and untruthful statements under oath to “perpetuate his fraudulent scheme of extorting money from me.”

Basergo said Premne should be held liable for perjury, grave misconduct, dishonesty, extortion, and theft, among others./REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL