A FAKE policeman, who allegedly extorts money from suspected drug pushers and their families in Talisay City, was arrested by Talisay City police officers on Friday at Sitio Rattan, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City.
Alberto Ator, 32, of Sitio Kawayan, Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City, was caught as he was about to leave the area on his motorcycle at around 9 p.m., said PO2 Erwin Carbonquillo of Talisay City Police Station.
Carbonquillo said they received information of an armed man in Sitio Rattan, which prompted SPO2 Vincent Taladua to form a team of police officers to check on the report.
Taladua and his team prevented Ator from leaving on his motorcycle, and as they checked him out, found a gun and illegal drugs in his possession.
Police confiscated from Ator the .45 caliber pistol, 3 medium size plastic packs containing illegal drugs believed to be shabu weighing about 6 grams with an estimated worth of P66,000 and the motorcycle with a PNP sticker.
Carbonquillo said that Ator introduced himself as Mendoza and that he claimed to be a policeman.
However, Taladua and his team found out that Mendoza was a fake name, and that he was a fake policeman.
Carbonquillo said that they had already received reports of a certain Mendoza, who targets drug suspects, especially the wives whose husbands were arrested for illegal drugs.
He said Ator would allegedly ask the wives to pay a sum of money in exchange for their husband’s freedom.
Carbonquillo said two drug suspects’ wives were allegedly victimized by Ator and paid him P13,000 for their husbands’ freedom.
He said Ator was detained at the Talisay City Police detention cell pending the filing of charges of extortion, usurpation in person of authority, illegal possession of firearm and possession of illegal drugs.