Corrupt cops give the entire organization a bad name, and let’s admit it, they’re still very much out there.
On Fri night, Aug 19, Police Officer 1 Michael Gragasin was arrested for attempting to extort money from Josephine Pineda, partner of tricycle driver Aldrian Abalos, a drug suspect.
Gragasin, assigned at the Masambong Police Station of the Quezon City Police District, is part of the Anti-Illegal Drug Unit.
The Philippine Star reported that Gragasin, along with other policemen, arrested Abalos in a supposed drug sting at a canteen in Barangay Paltoc, San Francisco Del Monte on Aug 15.
According to Pineda, Gragasin took her aside at the police station and allegedly asked for PHP500,000 (US$10,736) in exchange for Abalos’ release.
Pineda said she couldn’t provide the said amount, so Gragasin reportedly settled for PHP100,000 (US$2,147).
“Pineda sought help from the District Special Operations Unit at Camp Karingal. She showed Gragasin’s text messages to her to the DSOU, which planned the entrapment operation. It was they who gave her PHP100,000 in marked money to Pineda to be delivered to Gragasin,” the report added.
QCPD director chief superintendent Guillermo Eleazar said that Gragasin faces robbery and extortion charges. He will ultimately be dismissed from the police force.
