(Photo courtesy: NCRPO Public Information Office)
MANILA -- Three persons, including a lawyer, were arrested on Friday for trying to bribe police officers in exchange for the release of a Chinese national who was arrested in an anti-human trafficking operation in Makati City.
Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, identified the suspects as lawyer Joselito Vasquez, 56; Huang Xiangfei, 29, a Chinese national; and driver Meljohn Palma, 43.
The three suspects were arrested in an entrapment operation inside the NCRPO's Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU) office at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig around 2 a.m.
Earlier, authorities also nabbed Kuang Meiting and Li Xuemei, both Chinese nationals, at Avida Asten Tower 2 in Barangay San Antonio, Makati City around 10 p.m. during an anti-trafficking operation Wednesday.
Based on the report of RSOU, Vasquez approached RSOU chief, Lt. Col. Rograrth Campo, around 9 p.m. on Thursday and offered PHP2 million for the release of Li.
Velasquez was arrested after handing over an envelope containing PHP1 million to the office of the NCRPO Special Operations Unit while Palma was arrested after bringing an additional PHP200,000.
“This serves as an opportunity to protect the good name of the organization by eliminating suspicions and speculations and these are the kind of policemen that we need to show our people that they can be trusted and that not all policemen are corrupt,” Eleazar said.
Authorities also rescued six Vietnamese women who were allegedly being used for prostitution during Wednesday's operation.
The transaction between the clients and the suspects were being conducted through social networking sites, the report said.
The suspects now in custody of RSOU will face a case for violation of Article 212 or Corruption of Public Officer in relation to Article 6 of the Revised Penal Code. (PNA)
