Talisay police chief probes men over reports of ‘extortion’

THE head of the Talisay City Police Office, Supt. Jason Villamater, has ordered a probe on his men following reports that they were engaged in extortion activities.

According to reports reaching Villamater, some of the city’s policemen were extorting money from arrested persons.

“I’ll background check. Ako mismo ang kakausap sa kanila (I will talk to them myself),” Villamater said.

While Villamater had yet to receive a formal complaint, reports reached him that Talisay cops demanded P200,000 for the release of a drug suspect who was earlier arrested.

He said that he just learned about the issue yesterday when he was called by a radio station for an interview.

Villamater, who assumed as police chief of Talisay City only early this month, said that he had yet to verify if indeed there was a drug suspect who was recently released from police custody.

Villamater will also check on affidavits and reports of alleged drug related incidents in the past days to know if his investigators and operatives could be involved in extortion.

“Hindi ko tinotolerate ang ganyang mga tao (I will not tolerate these types of people),” said Villamater, adding that most of the policemen assigned in Talisay City are also newly assigned like him.

“Sa pagkakaalam ko halos na-relieved yung mga police na involved noon. Mga bago ang police dito,” Villamater said.

(From what I know, most of those linked to illegal activities were already relieved. The cops here now are new.)