(Eagle News) — A police major and four other policemen were arrested in Zamboanga City for robbery-extortion, the Philippine National Police said.
According to the PNP, Police Major Orlyn Leyte, officer-in-charge of Station 9 of the Zamboanga City Police Station; Police Staff Sergeants Hegenio Salvador and Asser Abdulkadim; and Police Corporals Ismael Sasapan and Juman Arabani were nabbed in an entrapment operation on Tuesday, at 6:45 p.m., in Barangay Ayala.
Salvador, Abdulkadim, Sasapan and Arabani were all assigned to the station’s drug enforcement unit.
The PNP said the entrapment operation was launched following a complaint from Melanie Casabuena Saloria, 57, who had been arrested by Leyte’s group supposedly for illegal drug activities.
Saloria alleged Leyte had demanded P90,000 as “settlement.”
Recovered from the suspects were marked money amounting to P2,000, 88 pieces of 1,000-peso bills as boodle money, and a 9 mm. pistol with three loaded magazines, the PNP said.
The suspects are now temporarily detained at the Zamboanga City Police Office, and are facing criminal and administrative charges.
The five will be placed under automatic leave of absence while under detention, PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said.
“The PNP will not tolerate personnel engaging in any unlawful and illegal acts. Officers must serve as role model to their subordinates,” he added.