The chief of Bacolod City police’s investigation unit was arrested yesterday at a cockfighting pit in the village of Mansilingan for allegedly extorting money from the owners of a karaoke bar.
The owners of Ztrip Zone KTV Bar alleged that Major Melvin Madrona asked them for a PHP5,000 (US$98) bribe in exchange for allowing their establishment to operate without getting raided by his team, reports the Manila Bulletin. The owners — identified as Ashly Alba, Rosalie Pesquera, and Rizaldy Claver — agreed and gave the money to Madrona on Feb. 20. However, Madrona then asked for PHP5,000 more, which prompted the entrepreneurs to report him to the authorities.
Bacolod police learned that Madrona raided the bar on Feb. 8 and arrested Pesquera along with 10 of the bar’s employees and 12 customers, Rappler reports. However, they were released after they promised Madrona to pay the bribe.
Madrona, a fan of cockfights, was arrested along with his cohort Jay-R dela Cruz at the cockfighting pit during a sting operation where he was caught accepting money from one of the bar’s owners. Madrona, who was injured attempting to fight off the arresting officers, complained to the media that he was physically assaulted during his arrest and that the authorities have prevented him from getting a lawyer. He also alleged that dancers in the karaoke bar which he raided would perform indecent acts.
ABS-CBN News reports that Madrona was removed from his post at the Quezon City police in 2017 after he allegedly assaulted a motorist and was assigned to Bacolod City just a month ago. He will be charged with extortion.
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