SUV owner cries ‘extortion’

A 24-year-old businesswoman in Cebu City was apprehended for driving a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with an expired vehicle registration.

At the police headquarters, Jane Katherine O alleged that SPO1 Aldrin Gulingan of the Highway Patrol Group in Central Visayas (HPG-7) demanded P200,000 cash from her in exchange for the release of her impounded vehicle.

O’s lawyer Noel Archival said they were preparing to file a complaint for extortion, grave coercion and grave abuse of authority against the policeman.

Gulingan denied any wrongdoing.

He said the impounding of the SUV was legal.

According to O, she was driving a Nissan X-Trail along Tres Borces Street in barangay Mabolo, Cebu City on Thursday morning when the policeman flagged her down.

The vehicle was brought to the HPG-7 headquarters where O was confronted with the vehicle’s expired registration.

O alleged that she was held at the HPG-7 office from 9:45 a.m. to 12 noon.

Her lawyer Archival said O contacted him after the policeman allegedly demanded P200,000 from her so she would be allowed to go home with her car.

In denying the woman’s allegations, Gulingan said O’s plan to file case against him was a form of a counter attack after her vehicle was seized.

Senior Insp. Oliver Plañas, operation chief of HPG-7, said the accusations against Gulingan were baseless and that they welcomed the planned filing of charges.

Plañas said the HPG-7 is ready to provide assistance to Gulingan in case charges are filed against him.