CAMP GEN. ALEJO S. SANTOS, Bulacan –The police chief of Bocaue town in this province was arrested for alleged extortion and car theft in an entrapment operation early Saturday morning.
Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr., Director of the Philippine National Police-Counter Intelligence Task Force (PNP-CITF), identified the suspect as Supt. Jowen Dela Cruz, chief of the Bocaue Police Station in Barangay Poblacion.
Based on the report, the CITF operatives led by Supt. Joel Estaris carried out an entrapment operation against Dela Cruz in his office at the Bocaue police station.
Recovered and confiscated are a Yamaha Mio-Sporty, a Yamaha Mio-Soul, a black Mitsubishi Montero with license No. 00469, Toyota-Wigo with conduction sticker number WA-6693, and a Toyota Vios with plate number AAI-4952.
The vehicles were not included on the Bocaue police station’s inventory of confiscated items from its various police drug operations.
“The entrapment operation stemmed after a complainant reported to our office that a Montero SUV vehicle of his brother, who was arrested by Bocaue police for violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) was taken and being used for police operation and personal travel of the arrested police officer,” Estaris said.
According to the complainant, Dela Cruz was asking for an iPhone X worth PHP75,000 in exchange for the release of the Montero SUV.
The arrested suspect and the vehicles are now under the custody of CITF for proper disposition and filing of appropriate charges.-PNA