Manila cops nabbed for extortion, false arrest

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has arrested seven uniformed personnel assigned to the Manila Police District (MPD) for their alleged involvement in robbery-extortion, grave threats, arbitrary detention, violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and obstruction of justice.

The operation was conducted around 11 p.m. on Monday at Police Station 5 in Ermita, Manila, by joint elements of the Regional Intelligence Division and the MPD. It stemmed from a complaint filed just hours earlier by a private citizen and was followed by a rapid investigation and validation.

The arrested individuals were members of the anti-drug unit of Station 5, including one police lieutenant, three staff sergeants, and three patrolmen.

Initial investigation showed that the 49-year-old male complainant had been falsely arrested on 20 June 2025 on fabricated drug charges. While in custody, the officers allegedly extorted P50,000 from the complainant’s spouse in exchange for his release. Although only P20,000 was paid via mobile transfer, the complainant was released without any charges filed.

After learning that a formal complaint had been filed, the officers reportedly returned the money in an apparent attempt to dissuade legal action. This further corroborated the allegations and prompted immediate arrest operations.

Authorities recovered several pieces of evidence during the operation, including seven mobile phones used in the alleged extortion, five official police IDs, screenshots of digital conversations and transactions, and remittance records related to the extorted amount.

The arrests were made following swift validation of the report and underscore the NCRPO’s commitment to cracking down on illegal activities by law enforcers.

Appropriate charges are now being filed against the individuals involved, who are currently under restrictive custody.