Zambo town police chief arrested

PAGADIAN CITY – Undercover police agents arrested the municipal police chief of Zamboanga del Norte’s Godod town in southern Philippines, accusing the official of robbery and extortion.

PNP-IMEG photos show Captain Haran Ulah following his arrest on June 25, 2020 at the Godod municipal police office in Zamboanga del Sur province.

Brigadier General Ronald Lee, head of the Philippine National Police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG), said Captain Haran Ulah allegedly demanded P10,000 so-called protection money from treasure hunter Jose Abarca.

Lee said the money was in exchange for the unhampered treasure hunting activities of Abarca in the village of Raba.

He said Abarca reported the matter and sought the assistance of PNP-IMEG which drew up a plan to arrest the town’s police chief. Ulah was arrested in an entrapment operation on Thursday afternoon at his office after receiving an initial P5,000 in marked money he demanded from Abarca.

“We have arrested another police officer accused of extortion in line with our continuing implementation of (PNP Chief) General (Archie Francisco) Gamboa’s directive to go after rogues in uniform, regardless of their rank and stature.”

“We assure the public too, that we will immediately and properly act on all complaints against erring police officers and men being forwarded to us,” Lee said.

He said police agents also seized Ukah’s weapons - one M16 automatic rifle, one .45-caliber pistol and two cell phones – and recovered the marked money as well that will be used as evidence against the official.

Lee warned cops involved in illegal activities, saying: “There will be no respite in our crackdown against police scalawags and other rogues in government service despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Walang Covid-Covid sa amin kapag ang huhulihin ay iskalawag na pulis.”

He said another cop in Cebu, Staff Sergeant Charlito Sanchez Tinoy - who is assigned at Regional Personnel Holding Accounting Section – was also arrested while manning and betting in the illegal game in the village of Sudlon in Lahug.

PNP-IMEG photo shows the arrested policeman Charlito Tinoy.

Tinoy was previously arrested and charged with illegal gambling, according to Lee, adding, the arrest of the erring cop is in line with their stepped-up enforcement of the PNP internal cleansing program ordered by Gamboa. 

“Were intensifying our monitoring of policemen involved in all forms of illegal activities and assure the public that we will apprehend them as soon as we have built enough evidence against them.”

“We must make it clear that General Gamboa has a strict zero tolerance policy against police officers who continue to tarnish the good reputation and image of majority of the police force,” Lee said. 

Tinoy was among the 4 people arrested by the police on June 21 during the illegal cock fighting amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The three were all civilians - Jojo Ombos Mainit, Frederick Jacalan Vosotros, and Lando Sabanal Calumba. 

Lee also urged the public to report to the PNP-IMEG cops who are involved or engaged in illegal activities.

Just recently, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group also nabbed a former police staff sergeant, Louie Lanaja, for four counts of cyber libel after a court in Dipolog City issued a warrant for his arrest.

Lanaja was arrested in the town of Titay in Zamboanga del Sur province. He was accused of libel by policemen and other government officials and is allegedly involved in illegal drugs activities and has a pending administrative case, according to Major Helen Galvez, the regional police spokeswoman. (Zamboanga Post)

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