A JOINT entrapment operation by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Police Provincial Office caught the chief of the intelligence division of the Dagupan police for extortion.

P/Inspector Gerardo Macaraeg was nabbed during the entrapment that was recorded on video on August 11 while receiving marked money from the relative of a suspect he had arrested for illegal possession of explosive at the residence of the complainant in Bonuan Boquig.

The marked money of P10,000 was  part of the P33,000 that Macaraeg earlier demanded from Jerrymel Largo, brother of Joshua Largo, whom Macaraeg and a fellow policemen earlier arrested for illegal possession of a grenade.

The amount was dusted with fluorescent powder, which was found in the hands of Macaraeg when he received the money from the Largos.

Macaraeg allegedly used the confiscated grenade as a leverage to extort money from the Largo family, according to an investigation report signed by leaders of the arresting NBI agents and members of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and endorsed by Atty. Rogelio Mamauag, NBI supervising agent.

Macaraeg reportedly offered to disarm the grenade seized from Joshua to make it appear that it was a dud and thereby ensure that the case filed against him will be dismissed by the court.

In exchange, the police officer demanded that the Largos pay him P200,000, an amount which the family bargained to be reduced to P100,000 and payable on installment basis.

The two parties agreed that the initial P40,000 be given on August 11 and the remaining balance be handed to Macaraeg before the court hearing starts.

But on August 6, Macaraeg called the family already demanding for the initial payment. The Largos were able to raise P7,000 which Macaraeg received on August 8. They agreed that the remaining P33,000 would be paid on August 11.

This prompted the Largos to report the matter to the NBI and to the Police Provincial Office in Lingayen, which together laid an elaborate entrapment operation.

The family was informed that Macaraeg had long been under surveillance for his reported illegal activities but his superiors needed more proofs to pin him down.

Macaraeg was alone in civilian clothes and unarmed when he appeared to collect the money.

Police Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Percival Barba said this was part of the campaign of the police against what he called “kotong cops” who deserve to be booted out from the police service.—LM

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