A high-ranking cop was arrested in his own office in Camp Crame in Quezon City yesterday for allegedly extorting money from a carnapping victim.
Maj. Raul Salle, the deputy chief of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group’s (PNP-HPG) Operations Management Division, was arrested for allegedly extorting money from an overseas Filipino worker named Maria April Ochenta, reported The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
In November 2018, Ochenta said her Mitsubishi Pajero was stolen. She reported the crime to Salle, who allegedly asked her to pay him PHP140,000 (US$2,724) before the PNP-HPG could begin an investigation, reported ABS-CBN News. Ochenta told Salle that she didn’t have enough money with her, so the latter allegedly advised the victim to borrow PHP70,000 (US$1,362) from a civilian PNP-HPG staff member.
Ochenta borrowed money from the civilian PNP-HPG staff member and gave it to Salle. She later gave her payment for the money she borrowed to Salle, who was supposed to give it to the civilian PNP-HPG staff member.
However, in February, Ochenta learned that Salle did not hand over her payment to the civilian PNP-HPG personnel. She confronted the police officer about it but Salle said he did not have the money to pay Ochenta.
The police officer allegedly told her to give him her Mitsubishi Adventure so he could pawn it and use the money to pay the civilian PNP staff. Ochenta agreed and gave Salle her vehicle.
But the story does not end there.
Ochenta learned that Salle did not pawn her van and used it as his personal vehicle. He even brought it Camp Crame. When Ochenta demanded Salle to return the van, he said he will only do so if she paid him PHP300,000 (US$5,838), which was later increased to PHP440,000 (US$8,562).
This drove Ochenta to report Salle to the PNP’s Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), an office responsible for going after erring police officers.
Salle was arrested yesterday for allegedly accepting PHP400,000 (US$7,782) from Ochenta in Camp Crame, reported Remate.
Salle will be charged with robbery-extortion, swindling, grave coercion, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Public Officials and Employees. He is currently in the custody of the IMEG.
