Cop, bus firm employee arrested for extortion in Midsayap

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Two suspected extortionists were arrested, including a maritime police officer,in an entrapment operation in Midsayap, North Cotabato Wednesday morning, police said said. Police Inspector Edwin Abantes, Midsayap PNP deputy police chief, identified the suspects as Omar Solidad, bus employee and Police Officer 1Howell Dequita, a member of PNP assigned in Maritime 12 in General Santos City. Abantes said the two suspects were residents of Barangay Rebuken, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. Abantes said the suspects were arrested during an entrapment operationinside the Philippine National Bank (PNP) branchin Barangay Poblacion 6, Midsayap. The suspects were caught in the act of extorting money from the two businesswomen identified as Lucena Singco and Rena Singco. Allegedly the suspects asked protection money from the victims who owned a buy and sell business in Barangay Upper Kiwanan, also in Midsayap. This prompted the Midsayap PNP to conduct entrapment operation that resulted to the arrest of the suspects,” Supt. Bernard Tayong, North Cotabato police provincial spokesperson, said. Tayong said the police authorities recovered several live ammunitions of 45 pistols and a fragmentation grenade from the suspects'vehicle. The suspects were temporarily detained at the Midsayap PNP lock up cell while charges are being prepared against them.