'PUSHER' UNMASKS 5 'PROTECTOR COPS'

A DRUG suspect has accused five Lapu-Lapu City policemen of extorting money
from him, ranging from P2,500 to P4,000 each, every week.

One of them even managed to collect P60,000 from the drug suspect, allegedly
for the attorney's fees and bail bond of his wife, who was also arrested
before.

Gilbert Jumao-as executed an affidavit last Friday before Acting City
Prosecutor Evangeline Gicale, identifying SPO1 Leovero "Elvie" Augusto, PO2
John "Winnie" Bensi, PO2 Johnny Hernandez, SPO3 Eduardo "Buloy" Augusto and
SPO1 Joel Hernandez as "protectors of drug users and traffickers."

Lapu-Lapu City Attorney Vincent Joseph Lim said he already endorsed the
affidavit to City Police Chief Paquito Belandres and asked him to
investigate the five policemen.

Lim said he also recommended that the policemen be placed under preventive
suspension while the investigation is ongoing.

Under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, protectors or coddlers
of persons found guilty of peddling drugs faces 12 to 20 years in jail and a
fine ranging from P100,000 to P500,000.

PNP records showed that Leovero is assigned at the Mactan Police Station;
Bensi, at the police holding cell; Johnny, at the mayor's office; Eduardo,
at the Poblacion Police Station; and Joel, at the Theft and Robbery Section.

Belandres, when sought for reaction, said he will only comment on the matter
once he receives a copy of the affidavit.

Sun.Star reached Eduar-do, but he was reluctant to give his side, as he
wants to consult his lawyer first. His brother Leovero was off duty
yesterday.

Sun.Star also called up Joel Hernandez but he was not at home or in the
office. Johnny is his brother.

Bensi was also not at home when sought for comment. Drinks, food too

The drug suspect learned about the policemen's "illegal" activities as early
as two years ago, before the arrest of his wife Hazel, who is the younger
sister of Johnny's wife.

Jumao-as, who is detained at the Lapu-Lapu City detention cell for drug
peddling, said he would also pay for the drinks, food and gambling debts of
the five policemen.

In his affidavit, he narrated that three days after his wife was committed
to the Lapu-Lapu City jail in Sitio Soong, Barangay Mactan, Johnny's wife
Maybe asked for and received P20,000 from him, which was allegedly intended
for attorney's fees.

A week later, Johnny himself asked for and received P40,000 from him, this
time for bail bond for Hazel.

But City Attorney Lim said the amount could not possibly have been used to
post bail because the drug case of Jumao-as is non-bailable. Suggestion

In a phone interview last night, Maybe admitted suggesting to Hazel to
prepare P20,000 as attorney's fee, if she intended to file a motion for
reconsideration for her case, and P40,000 for bail.

She said she raised the idea of filing a motion for reconsideration being
the elder sister of Hazel, and because she is worried about Hazel's two
children now that her husband is also in jail.

"I did not receive that money. I only made a suggestion," Maybe told
Sun.Star in Cebuano.

She recalled an incident wherein Jumao-as gave Johnny P1,000, but her
husband refused and instead told Jumao-as to save the money for his bail, in
case he got arrested for selling shabu.

The two Jumao-as children, aged three and five, are currently in the care of
Hazel and Maybe's brother in Barangay Babag 2. Maybe also said she is
subsidizing the children's needs because their brother does not have income.

Maybe said she visited Hazel in the city jail yesterday morning and they
talked about the two children and how she could help her while she is in
jail.