The Philippine National Police- Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) on Thursday arrested the chief of Bacolod City Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for robbery and extortion.

Police Colonel Ronald Lee, IMEG director, said arrested were Police Major Melvin Madrona and his cohort, a cockfighting fowl handler.

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

According to the IMEG director, Lee ordered the operation after receiving a complaint from the owners of a KTV Bar in Barangay Singcang, Bacolod City that suspects were allegedly demanding a weekly P5, 000 “protection money” from them in exchange for unhampered operations of their business.

The two suspects were arrested during an entrapment operation inside the cockpit arena in Mansilingan shortly after they received P5, 000 from the complainants around 5:35 p.m.

Madrona raided the complainant’s business last February 8 where they arrested the owners, workers and even some customers, including some Japanese clients.

Victims were released the following day under the condition that the owner will give them weekly protection money. Complainant said she was forced to agree on the police officer’s condition.

Lee said the complainant also accused Madrona of forcing them to pay for his travel, hotel accommodation and food expenses amounting to P6, 000.

He said the complainants started giving money to the suspects last February 20.

According to the victims, the money is being given to a certain “Police Senior Master Sergeant Nabarte” assigned at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU)- (Region) 6 headquarters.

“The real identity of the ‘PSMS Nabarte’ is still being checked by the PNP-IMEG,” Lee said.

Based on their record check, Madrona was previously charged last March 22, 2017 with physical injury, arbitrary detention and grave coercion by an overseas Filipino worker who was reportedly mauled by the officer after they figured in a vehicular accident.

The officer was assigned at the Quezon City Police District Station 5 and was transferred to the PNP Headquarters Support Service before being assigned to Bacolod City Police.

“The same officer is among the participants in the ‘Focused Reformation and Reorientation and Moral Enhancement for Police Officers in line with Internal Cleansing Efforts’, a month-long training program which focuses on policemen facing administrative cases,” Lee said.

“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,” he said.

Both accused are under the custody of the PNP-IMEG facing criminal charges for robbery-extortion and a separate administrative case will also be filed against the policeman. Ella Dionisio/DMS