'Bribe the police' : 3 suspects nabbed in entrapment operation

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
 
Three suspects were arrested in an entrapment operation after trying to bribe police officers in exchange for dropping the drug charges of their family member arrested in a buy-bust operation. 

Operatives from Aklan Police Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG), New Washington police station and Provincial Intelligence Branch Office (PIBO) made the arrest on Monday afternoon at Residence River Restaurant in Barangay Tambak in New Washington, about seven kms east of the capital town of Kalibo. 

Police said the suspects identified as Ramie dela Torre, 45, from Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan and his sister-in-law Maria Fe Dela Torre, 42 and nephew Mark Steven Dela Torre, 23, both are residing at Barangay Manoc-Manoc in Boracay Island, negotiated with the arresting officers to lower the drug possession charges against his brother Sotero ‘Badoy’ dela Torre. 

Last April 19, the 43-year old Sotero dela Torre was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Yapak in Boracay Island by operatives of PAIDSOTG. 

He was facing charges for violations of Section 5 (drug pushing) and Section 11 (illegal possession) of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Acts of 2002 before the regional trial court. 

Sotero is presently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Barangay Nalook, this town, following his hospital arrest at the Aklan provincial hospital. 

“Pagdakup pa lang kay Sotero, may mga emisaryo na last week na gahambal na ma-areglo sila sa P200,000. Balak nila na i-atras sang mga arresting pulis ang kaso sa Section 5, sa drug pushing,” said Police Inspector Wilfredo Hofilena, chief of PAIDSOTG. 

 “Nag istorya sila sa arresting officers, na mahatag sila kwarta or mag suhol sa isa ka restaurant sa banwa sang New Washington.” 

But, Hofilena said, “he warned the arresting officers not to entertain the negotiation with the Dela Torre.”

At the restaurant, Maria Fe dela Torre, wife of the detained drug suspect, gave the P100,000 cash to her brother-in-law Ramie and then handed the money to the police officers seen in plain view of other operatives.   

The two suspects were accompanied during the entrapment operation by Mark Steven, son of Sotero and Maria Fe.

 
Hofilena said the suspects also promised to give the additional P100,000 to the arresting police officers if Sotero Dela Torre could post a bail for drug possession charges. 

Recovered from the suspects were bank withdrawal slips, cell phones with text messages of their bribery transactions and cash money. They are presently jailed at Kalibo police station. 

After the arrest, Hofilena said “ang kredibilidad kag ang salig sang mga tawo, amo man lang na ang ginahalungan ta." 

The three suspects are facing charges for violation of Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code or corruption of public officials, he added. 

For his part, New Washington municipal police station Chief Inspector Al Lloren Bigay said, “isa itong malaking halimbawa na nagtatrabaho ang ating kapulisan ng tama at hindi nasisilaw sa  pera.”