The Manila Police District has relieved from service four of its policemen pending the outcome of an investigation on their involvement in harassment and extortion activities in Manila.
Senior Police Officer 1 Renato Ablaza, PO3 Ruel Aguilar, PO2 Patrick Guevarra, and PO2 Ronald Robles have been ordered relieved by Sta. Mesa Police Station commander Superintendent Santiago Pascual.
The four allegedly harassed and extorted money from a man they arrested for alleged possession of illegal drugs last Aug. 28 in Sta. Mesa.
In a press briefing Friday at Camp Crame, MPD director Chief Superintendent Rolando Nanasaid the officers are expected to report to the District Headquarters Support Unit while the investigation is ongoing.
Ablaza, Aguilar, Guevarra, and Robles arrested 38-year-old Michael Hingpit last Friday as the latter and his boyfriend alighted from a cab at the corner of V. Mapa and Peralta Streets.
According to Hingpit, the cops accused him of having a sachet of shabu (metamphetamine hydrochloride) in his pocket and divested him of his cell phone and P5,500 in cash.
He added that the four punched, kicked and poked a gun at him when he asked them to return his phone and money.
Hingpit further said that the cops even tried to force him to perform oral sex on his boyfriend with them as spectators.
The four officers are now being investigated for robbery and extortion charges and for grave misconduct.
