MPD cops sacked for extortion, lewd order to gay couple

Four Manila policemen and their precinct commander have been relieved of their posts following the complaint of a gay man and his boyfriend who accused the four officers of extortion and perversion.

Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Supt. Rolando Nana said an investigation was underway on the allegations made by Michael Hingpit, 38, against four members of MPD-Sta. Mesa, namely SPO1 Renato Ablaza, PO3 Ruel Aguilar, PO2 Patrick Guevarra, and PO2 Ronald Robles.

Their commander at the V. Mapa precinct in Sta. Mesa, Senior Insp. Rodolfo Ronald Leechui, was also relieved, Nana said in a press briefing Friday.

According to the complaint, Hingpit and his boyfriend were in a taxi when accosted by the police around 1 a.m. of Aug. 28 at the corner of V. Mapa and Peralta streets. They were accused of carrying a sachet of “shabu.”

Hingpit said the policemen brought them to the V. Mapa precinct where they were ordered to empty their pockets. Aguilar allegedly took Hingpit’s P5,500 in cash and then slapped him, while Ablaza punched him in the head.

The officers also allegedly ordered them to perform oral sex on each other, which they refused to do.

Hingpit was ordered to cough up P20,000 for their release. He called up his sister for help but she had only P4,500 on hand when she arrived from Alabang. The officers took her money on top of the P5,500 from Hingpit.

Nana said the policemen’s firearms had been confiscated. “Anytime now, I expect them to report to the [district] support unit, pending investigation. Once a criminal case is filed and they are needed ([at the prosecutor’s office], they will be at the support unit.”

The complainant first reported the incident to Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo. Jaymee T. Gamil, Jodee Agoncillo