3 QC cops, tipster face robbery, extortion case

The mug shots of the three rookie Quezon City policemen arrested on robbery-extortion charges. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has recommended that cases be filed against three police rookies and their tipster who were arrested last week for allegedly robbing a man and then extorting P10,000 from him.

Police Officers 1 Ryan Parungo, Dennis Maagda and Ronnel Biag—assigned at the Anonas police station of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD)—now face robbery and extortion charges along with John Dominic Laudio, an informant.

An additional charge of usurpation of authority was also recommended against Laudio by Assistant city prosecutor Diovie Macaraig-Calderon after he passed himself off as a policeman.

The three policemen likewise face administrative charges for grave misconduct and would undergo summary dismissal proceedings.

In a press conference on Monday, a QCPD official warned that policemen who commit illegal acts would not go unpunished.

“We would like to remind our policemen that being a police officer is a noble calling and should not be taken lightly or as a means for personal gain,” said QCPD deputy district director for administration Senior Supt. Joel Pagdilao.

The three policemen were arrested on Thursday in an entrapment operation conducted by their fellow law enforcers from the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit and Masambong police station.

Their immediate superior, Anonas police station commander Supt. Richard Fiesta, said that Parungo, 31, and Maagda, 26, were from the National Capital Region Police Office while Biag, 25, was an organic member of the QCPD.

A background check showed that Parungo has been in the service for five years while Biag and Maagda have served for four and three years, respectively.

“Our check also showed that so far, these three have not been involved in such cases in the past,” Fiesta said.

Earlier, a 29-year-old man from Cavite province said a male sex worker known only as “Renz” approached him at a mall at North Avenue on Wednesday. The couple ended up at the fastfood restaurant in Philcoa where the victim said he was accosted by Parungo, Maagda and Laudio.

The victim said the three forced him to get into a police car where they took his cell phones, P800 in cash, two ATM cards and watch.

He added that the three initially demanded P25,000 in exchange for not filing alarm and scandal and drug charges against him although the amount was lowered to P10,000.—Julie M. Aurelio

Originally posted: 8:41 pm | Monday, June 17th, 2013