MANILA, Philippines — Two Quezon City policemen and a cohort have pleaded not guilty to allegations that they demanded money from a man baited by a male sex worker.
Police Officers 1 Dennis Maagda and Ryan Parungo and civilian John Domenic Laudio were arraigned on Tuesday morning before Judge Madonna Echiverri of Regional Trial Court Branch 81.
The arraignment of another policeman, PO1 Ronnel Biag, was deferred as the court had yet to rule on his motion for preliminary investigation.
The accused are charged with robbery for arresting a 29-year-old man while in the company of a male sex worker that the policemen used as bait last June 13.
Laudio was also slapped with a case for usurpation of authority for pretending to be a policeman.
After the “arrest,” the accused demanded P25,000 in exchange for not filing charges. The demand was brought down to P10,000.
The accused were arrested in separate entrapment operations in Quezon City.
Inquest prosecutor Diovie Macaraig-Calderon found probable cause to indict the four men in court, with a P100,000 bail for their provisional liberty.