TRIPLE WHAMMY AGAINST VICE COP

Two extortion charges and two graft charges were filed before the
Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court against a Cebu City policeman who
was arrested in an entrapment last Tuesday.

The Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office recommended P260,000 bail for
all four criminal cases filed against PO3 Paquito Flores Monterroyo
Jr., a member of the Cebu City Police Office's Vice Control Section
(VCS).

Monterroyo, along with seven other unidentified persons, is accused of
extorting money from trader Mino Banto Disomundeg in exchange for
clearing the latter's name in Camp Crame's list of Cebu-based drug
dealers.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 recommended summary
dismissal proceedings against Monterroyo, as well as his preventive
suspension while the investigation continues.

The policeman will also lose his monthly incentive allowance from the
Cebu City Government, Mayor Tomas Osme said.

Although he believes Monterroyo is entitled to due process, the mayor
is not keen on providing him legal assistance.

The mayor instead lauded the NBI and said there was no reason for the
bureau to "frame him (Monterroyo)."

Osme said he heard the policeman had a "pretty bad record" while
assigned in Mandaue City, and he asked Public Information Officer
Nagiel Bacia to check Monterroyo's records.

Transfer

Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano, in an earlier interview, said he
ordered the transfer of Monterroyo for the policeman's "own good."
Ouano said there were a lot of allegations against the policeman, but
the supposed victims later withdrew their complaints.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office 7 Director Robert Delfin said he
already instructed Chief of Staff Ronald Roderos to act on NBI's
recommendations.

Roderos, for his part, said he will ask the Regional Intelligence and
Investigation Division (RIID) to look into Monterroyo's administrative
case and leave the criminal aspect to the proper authorities.

"We know that the case has been filed in Lapu-Lapu. What we will do
here is to conduct a pre-charge investigation to determine if there is
probable cause to undergo summary hearing proceedings," Roderos said.

He said the RIID will evaluate and recommend a formal investigation
against Monterroyo with Delfin's approval.

But they still need to determine who should conduct the summary
hearing proceedings and to decide if they need to put him under
preventive suspension.

Security escorts

NBI 7 Executive Officer Nelson Bartolome yesterday told reporters they
are furnishing the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council a copy of
the recommendation "for whatever action they may want to take."

They will also exert efforts to identify the seven other men who were
with Monterroyo when he allegedly went to the house of Disomundeg last
Aug. 9.

Disomundeg is a barangay captain in Marawi City, Lanao del Norte
although he lives in Camella Homes in Lapu-Lapu City.

The NBI has provided Disomundeg with security escorts because he is
reportedly afraid for his life.

Monterroyo earlier told Sun.Star he had just come from a court hearing
last Tuesday morning attending a drug case, when the trader called him
up at the VCS office.

Disomundeg reportedly said he would give him the list of drug
personalities. Monterroyo said he immediately informed his office
about the meeting.

When the two met in Gaisano Mactan, Monterroyo said he was surprised
when Disomundeg handed him P200,000 instead of the list.

Disomundeg, in his affidavit, said the policeman asked him to board
his car and it was there that the exchange took place.

They then drove toward the Mactan airport road, where Monterroyo's
companion disembarked. The vehicle was already near the first
Mandaue-Mactan bridge when NBI operatives flagged them down and
arrested Monterroyo.

The day before, Disomundeg said Monterroyo called him up and demanded
P300,000, which was later lowered to P200,000. This prompted the
trader to report the incident to the NBI who arranged the entrapment.

The policemen and his men first accosted Disomundeg outside the
latter's home last Saturday. They allegedly demanded money and
threatened to plant 200 grams of shabu if the trade would not yield to
their demand.ROV & MBGWith reports from CYR & AAG