ARRESTED. The mugshot of Staff Sgt. Jonathan de la Cruz who was arrested for extortion in an entrapment operation at the Norzagaray Municipal Police on Wednesday (Sept. 9, 2020). The PNP-IMEG discovered that the suspect was using a motorcycle that was not included in the inventory of items they confiscated during a drug operation last August 26 and demanded PHP10,000 in exchange for its release. (Photo courtesy of IMEG)
MANILA – A police officer in Bulacan was arrested for extortion in Norzaragay town, the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Thursday.\
In a press statement, Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief, Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, said Staff Sgt. Jonathan de la Cruz, currently assigned at the intelligence division of the Norzagaray Municipal Police, was arrested in an entrapment operation at the police station on Wednesday afternoon.
Lee said de la Cruz was using a motorcycle that was found to be not included in the inventory of items they confiscated during a drug operation last August 26.
“It was learned that the accused took custody of the motorbike and demanded PHP10,000 for its release. We are assuring the public that there is no letup in our campaign against misfits and scalawags in the force as ordered by PNP Chief, Gen. Camilo Cascolan. Everyone should know what to do and do it right,” he said.
Aside from the motorcycle, recovered from de la Cruz were PHP10,000 in boodle money and a mobile phone.
De la Cruz is under the custody of the PNP-IMEG for proper disposition and filing of appropriate charges.
Under the PNP’s Standard Operating Procedure No. 7 or the Revised Procedure in the Reporting and Disposition of Stolen and Recovered/Impounded Motor Vehicles released on April 12, 2011, no PNP personnel “shall use a recovered stolen or impounded motor vehicle or cause the use thereof by any person prior to the lifting of the alarm issued thereon and the subsequent release of the said motor vehicle to its lawful owner.”
Lee called on the public to report any PNP personnel, uniformed or non-uniformed, who are involved in any irregularity to PNP-IMEG hotlines, SMART – 0998-970-2286 and GLOBE – 0995-795-2569.
Information may also be forwarded to Facebook page, Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, and Twitter account, @imeg2017. (PNA)
