Robredo forms team to probe jueteng payoffs to PNP execs

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said he has formed a three-man team to investigate allegations of jueteng payoffs among ranking police officers.

           

Jueteng operations are still rampant in different parts of the country including most Cordillera provinces, Baguio City, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon regions. 

           

However, Robredo said they still have to get in touch with Molly Acuna, who was quoted in several news reports as having sent out e-mails on the alleged jueteng payoffs.

           

“We will investigate the allegations of Molly Acuna,” said Robredo after inaugurating a three-story police station in Paombong, Bulacan Wednesday.

           

He said an investigation on Acuna’s allegations is important in order to determine their veracity.

           

If the allegations are true and the government did not do anything, Robredo said it would mean that the government is tolerating illegal activities.

           

In case Acuna’s allegations are untrue, Robredo said an investigation would allow those who were accused to clear their names.

           

He said the three-man investigating team comes from his department. “It is not a huge problem that will require the creation of a task force,” he said.

           

He said the investigating team would verify the allegations not only from Acuna, but from other sources as well.

           

Over the weekend, Acuna sent out an e-mail accusing some ranking police officers of receiving payoffs from jueteng operators.  

           

Acuna named Director Allan Purisima, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, and Chief Supt. James Melad, Calabarzon (Region 4-A) police director. 

           

Purisima, a former Central Luzon police director, denied the allegations.

           

Robredo said they already have a copy of Acuna’s e-mail which also named the alleged jueteng payola collectors of police officers.