Cop arrested for extorting motorists in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur—A police officer was arrested on Friday afternoon for extorting motorists.

Brigadier General Jesus Cambay Jr., Region 9 police director, identified the police officer as Staff Sgt. Roberto Galvez Francisco, 49, who was detailed at the traffic division of the Zamboanga City Police Office.

Francisco was caught in an entrapment operation around 2:30 p.m. at Sitio Agrarian of Barangay Labuan conducted by combined elements of the Regional Intelligence Division 9, the Mindanao Field Unit of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Regional Intelligence Unit 9, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 9 and the Zamboanga City Police Station 10.

Recovered from Francisco’s possession were one 500-peso bill and five pieces of 100-peso bill, or a total of P1,000 marked money.

Also recovered was a Thompson caliber .45 pistol with seven rounds of live ammunition, believed to be loose firearm since he failed to present any legal documents.

Cambay said Francisco, who engages in illegal activities, will be sanctioned criminally and administratively.

“Those who chose to deliberately defy this marching order shall be investigated and will face summary dismissal proceeding and be ousted from police service,” Cambay vowed.

“This office does not tolerate any act in violation of the PNP existing rules and regulations. We will continue to cleanse our ranks of misfits and make sure that corrupt, inept and undesirables will be dealt with drastically,” Cambay assured.

Earlier, Cambay relieved from his post Major Jinvertson Pelovello, chief of the Santa Maria Police Station, for applying excessive force in arresting a motorist last July 23 in Barangay Pasonanca.

CFC