Police arrest Cebu town cop for extorting money from parents of drug suspect

Carmen, Cebu’s chief intelligence officer, Police Executive Master Sergeant Julius Obañana was arrested on Friday, March 12, for alleged robbery extortion.

A criminal complaint of robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons was filed against Obañana on Monday, March 15. An administrative complaint of grave misconduct was also filed on the same day.

In February, Obañana arrested a suspect in a buy-bust operation and allegedly confiscated the suspect’s motorcycle without listing it down as part of the evidence.

The parents of the suspect went to claim the vehicle but were allegedly told to pay P3,000 first.

He was then arrested in an entrapment operation after the parents sought assistance from a colleague in the municipal hall who later informed the Carmen Police Station of the issue. 

The P3,000 marked money was seized during the operation.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Alladin Collado already relieved Carmen police chief Major Roger Quijano on Saturday, March 13, in order for the investigation to stay impartial.

According to initial reports from the Integrity and Monitoring Enforcement Group Central Visayas, this was not the first robbery extortion complaint faced by the suspect. 

Similar complaints had been made against the suspect even before becoming Carmen’s chief intelligence officer, when he was still assigned in Tuburan, northern Cebu.

Rappler tried contacting Collado for a comment but has yet to receive a reply. – Rappler.com