Airport cop denies extortion attempt on US missionary

A member of the Aviation Security Group (AvseGroup) denied extorting money from Lane Michael White, an American missionary who was caught carrying a live bullet inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

In his counter-affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice Friday, Police Inspector Adriano Junio denied the charges of violations of Article 293 (robbery and extortion) of the Revised Penal Code, Republic Act 7438 (An Act Defining Certain Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained or under Custodial Investigation and Duties of the Arresting, Detaining or Investigating Officers) and Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).

Junio said he was not part of the group that arrested White and that the allegation that he tried to extort P30,000 was a case of “misinterpreted statement.”

While he admitted talking to White’s stepmother, Eloisa Zoleta about the P30,000, it was about explaining the fines stated under Republic Act 8294 or the law governing illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Zoleta alleged that Junio was asking for P30,000. She said in the complaint that Junio told her that the amount would increase to P80,000 if her stepson would be taken to their headquarters.

“I then explained to Ms. Zoleta that the P30,000 may be referring to the provision of RA 8294 wherein as far as I know, based on my experience as a police officer, that the fine to be paid was P30,000…Under subsequent amendatory laws, the recommended bail for illegal possession of ammunition has already been increased to more or less P80,000,” he said in his counter affidavit.

He added that in all his long years of service in the Philippine National Police (PNP), he received several awards for honesty including Medalya ng Papuri in July 2012 after returning a black Dunhill clutch bag containing checks and cash worth P700,000.

He asked the DOJ to dismiss the case against him.

Meanwhile, the five other respondents – SPO4 Ramon Bernardo and SPO2 Romy Navarro and Rolando Clarin, all of PNP-ASG; and Office for Transportation Security (OTS) personnel Marvin Garcia and Ma. Elma Cegna – were not able to submit their respective answers to the charges.

They asked for 10 more days to submit counter-affidavits. The prosecutor granted the request and gave them until the next hearing on Jan. 18 to answer the charges.

The 20-year-old White was arrested on September 17 last year and charged with possession of a 22-caliber bullet, which was supposedly detected when his baggage went through the x-ray scanner at the NAIA. His case was dismissed by a Pasay City court.