2 COPS EXPOSED ON TONG DEMAND

A SELF-CONFESSED video carrera operator came to the Internal Affairs
Service (IAS) to file a complaint against two Vice Control Section policemen.

The complainant told IAS investigators that PO2 Rey Albotra and PO3 Matthew
Yanson have been collecting protection money from him and claiming that the
collection is for their superior.

IAS investigator Felix Bihay asked reporters not to name the complainant
yet until he signs his affidavit.

The complainant said he was told to collect money from drug lords in his
area and that something would happen to him if he refused. This prompted
him to report to the IAS.

The two policemen were not available for comment yesterday.

Cebu City Police Office Chief Cecil Ezra Sandalo welcomed the development,
saying the investigation will have a direction now that a complainant has
come out.

"That's good. By this, we would know who (policemen) are involved and we
can properly sanction them. This is the report that I want, substantiated
and clear as to who were involved," Sandalo said.

In his unsigned statement, the complainant narrated that last Oct. 6, about
eight policemen stormed his house in Duljo Fatima, searched the area and
confiscated seven video carrera machines in his premises.

After the policemen brought the video carrera machines, the complainant
asked his cousin to check if the confiscation was properly recorded.

He found out that only two were recorded in the blotter.

He identified Albotra and Yanson as among the eight officers who came to
his place. He also alleged that these policemen have been collecting
between P3,000 and P6,000 cash a week from him, depending on the income of
his video carrera.

Yanson and Albotra have been relieved from the Vice Control Section and are
now with the Security and Service Group effective last week when Sandalo
first heard of the allegations.

Bihay, for his part said, he will be looking into three aspects in the
complaint-unlawful searching, dishonesty for not recording the actual
number of machines confiscated and extortion.

Meanwhile, Sandalo said he did not see any irregularity on the alleged
release of a drug suspect by San Nicolas police.

This is because the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) policemen, the arresting
officers, did not execute an affidavit against suspect Henry Obatay.

The policemen reportedly did not get the pack of shabu from Obatay's
possession but from the seat of the trisikad he was riding.

As a result, San Nicolas police had to release Obatay.

PO1 Bryan Beringer and PO1 Mercedarios Balabat were manning a checkpoint
last Monday in Pasil and picked up Obatay when they found the pack of shabu
in a cigarette pack.

The RMG police was part of those deployed in Suba and Pasil for the
drug-free barangay program of PRO 7.

Acting Pasil Barangay Captain Mario Bitang had threatened not to support
the police after he heard the report that a drug suspect was released by
San Nicolas police.