A police master sergeant in Cauayan City, Isabela Province, who was caught extorting money from the family of a drug suspect, is facing dismissal if proven guilty, the Cagayan Valley region police said.
Master Sergeant Sherwin Gamit, a warrant server at the Cauayan City police was earlier caught by operatives of the Regional Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Team (RIMET), Provincial Intelligence Unit, Isabela Police Provincial Office and the Cauayan City Police Station after he received P300,000 marked money from the sister of the drug suspect.
The entrapment operation stemmed from the complaint of the drug suspect’s sister that Gamit is demanding the huge amount in exchange for him “fixing” his brother’s case.
Police seized from Gamit the marked money used in the transaction, a caliber .22 handgun without serial number, and a caliber 9mm PNP service firearm with three loaded magazines.
“Ang kapulisan ng Rehiyon Dos ay kabilang sa mga pinaka disiplinadong miyembro ng PNP sa buong bansa. Kung kaya naman nakakalungkot na mabahiran ng iisa o iilang miyembro nito ang magandang imahe ng mga
Valley Cops. Gayunpaman, magsilbi sanang babala at aral ang pangyayaring ito sa ating mga kapulisan na manatili na lamang sa tamang landas at tumalima sa kautusan ni Police General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, ang ama ng Pambansang Pulisya na maging mabuting halimbawa sa mga mamamayan,” Brigadier General Steve Ludan, Cagayan Valley police director said in a statement.
“Sa ilalim ng pinaiiral na Intensified Cleanliness Policy ng PNP, wala tayong sasantuhin sa ating paglilinis sa ating hanay. Ito ay ating ipagpapatuloy upang tuluyan nang masawata kung meron mang mga gumagawa pa ng mga kahalintulad na iligal na gawain dito sa ating nasasakupan,” Ludan added.
Cases of robbery-extortion and illegal possession of firearms were filed against Gamit by Cauayan City Police Station earlier today through inquest proceedings. On the other hand, an administrative case against him is also being readied at the Regional Headquarters.
Gamit is still at the custody of Cauayan police pending the issuance of an order by the court for his commitment in jail.
