PNP maritime cops, station chief nabbed for alleged robbery-extortion

Two maritime policemen and their commanding officer were arrested by operatives of the Philippine National Police-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) in Masbate City on Sunday due to alleged robbery-extortion activities.

In a statement, PNP-IMEG director Police Brigadier General Ronald Lee said the two cops were led by Police Major John Murray Cutaran, the chief of the 502nd Maritime Police Station in Masbate.

Lee said all arrested suspects were disarmed by members of the PNP-IMEG Luzon and Visayas field units who conducted the entrapment operation inside the 502nd MARPSTA office at Pier Site in Barangay Bapor at 8:25 a.m.

The suspects were immediately arrested after they received the P200,000 they demanded from the operator of a fishing vessel they impounded for alleged involvement in illegal fishing activities in their jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, two other suspects, identified as Police Lieutenant Melencia Huela and Police Staff Sergeant Ronald Puerto, were still at large.

According to Lee, authorities received a complaint from F/B RAV’s operator that the maritime policemen intercepted their boat and arrested its skipper Juquin Nemeno and his 28 crewmen.

The policemen later on contacted the fishing boat owner based in Bantayan Island, Cebu and initially demanded P400,000 in exchange for the release of the vessel and employees.

The suspects were immediately brought to the Masbate PPO for filing of criminal and administrative charges.

Meanwhile, Lee urged the public to report the presence of any erring PNP personnel to the PNP-IMEG. — DVM, GMA News