Lensman tags mulcting cops

MANILA, Philippines – A professional photographer who claims to have fallen victim to the same Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group operatives that also allegedly took P50,000 from TV personality and Radyo Inquirer anchor Arnell Ignacio filed a complaint against the suspects on Tuesday.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Francis Abraham went to the office of PNP-HPG director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina to personally submit his sworn affidavit accusing Police Officers 3 Levy Llagas and Neil Pono of extorting P10,000 from him.

Along with Police Officer 1 Joel Lasala, Llagas and Pono were charged with robbery/extortion for allegedly demanding protection money from Ignacio whom they accused of owning and driving a smuggled Porsche car on March 26.

“I decided to file a formal complaint after I read about Arnell’s experience in the newspaper. I felt it was my responsibility as a citizen to do this,” Abraham told reporters in a news briefing.

Espina ordered the PNP-HPG’s legal division to immediately resolve Abraham’s complaint and file the necessary criminal and administrative cases against Pono and Llagas.

Abraham said he was having breakfast with clients in a fastfood restaurant at the Petron gas station on C5 Road in Taguig City on January 18 when Pono allegedly approached him and asked him about his BMW motorcycle.

When he admitted that he had yet to renew the registration of his motorcycle, he said Pono demanded P30,000 from him.

Abraham said the policemen allowed him to leave the area with his motorcycle after he gave them P10,000.

Espina said the incident happened near the area where Ignacio was reportedly accosted by the mulcting PNP-HPG members.

Meanwhile, Ignacio said a make-up artist of broadcast giant ABS-CBN had told him that Pono and his cohorts also allegedly extorted money from her when they accosted her and her husband also along C5 Road.

Ignacio said Josie Catindig would also file a separate complaint against the policemen.

He said the incident happened a few months ago.

“Josie said her husband was driving their car when they were accosted by Pono. She said the policeman asked P10,000 from them, but they only gave him P3,000,” Ignacio told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.