A man posing as a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcer was arrested earlier today while allegedly attempting to extort money from a truck driver along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.
The man has been identified as Eddie Baraquel, 45, a Caloocan City resident, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 8 Non-Uniformed Personnel Ronald Garcia told Coconuts Manila over the phone. Two of Baraquels’ accomplices, however, managed to escape.
The MMDA’s roving team was patrolling the area at about 2am when they noticed the suspect standing beside a truck he had flagged down, the police report states. He then allegedly attempted to extort money from the driver.
The team saw that the suspect’s MMDA uniform appeared fake, at which point they checked the MMDA rolls for his name but couldn’t find it, the report added.
Baraquel then tried to make a run for it, but was stopped by the MMDA’s team and later arrested by arriving police officers.
The police report added that the two accomplices, also wearing fake uniforms, managed to board a truck and flee the scene.
The suspect is currently being detained at the QCPD Station 8 in Project 4, Quezon City, where he faces the quite fancy sounding charge of “usurpation of authority.”
MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago, meanwhile, reminded motorists they can check if someone is a legit MMDA officer by asking for their written mission order issued by the traffic agency, ABS-CBN News reported. The document will include the enforcer’s official functions, place of assignment, and time of duty.
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