Top Napolcom official nabbed for extorting P50k from widow

BY MAR T. SUPNAD

ANGELES CITY — A top official of the National Police Commission was arrested Thursday morning by Criminal Investigation and Detection group agents led Supt. Florendo Saligao while extorting money in an entrapment operation inside Greenwich, Robinson at Balibago, this city.

Senior Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, regional CIDG chief identified the arrested Napolcom official as lawyer Eddie Mar Porquerino, head of the Napolcom Region 3 technical services division. Informed about his personnel’s arrest, Napolcom Regional Director Leonardo Guzman said: "I do not tolerate shameful acts of my personnel."

De Guzman directed the arresting officers of his personnel to file the appropriate charges against the entrapped Napolcom official so necessary administrative charges would be filed against Porquerino. This is the first time that a top Napolcom official is arrested by police whose organization is administratively under the Napolcom.

The case stemmed from the complaint SPO2 Noel Marzan’s widow, Maridel who sought the CIDG’s assistance after the Napolcom official allegedly refused to release the death benefits of her husband in the amount of P100,000.

The late SPO2 Marzan was an operative of the Nueva Ecija police Special Operations Group. "Sinasabi daw ng suspek kay Mrs. Marzan na ibibigay niya sa nanay ng biktima ang benefits ng kanyang namatay na asawa kung hindi siya (Mrs. Marzan) magbibigay ng P50,000 (The suspect had told Mrs. Marzan he would give her husband’s benefits to the mother if she would not give P50,000)" said Col. Eleazar, quoting the complainant as saying.

Because she could not afford to give the money being requested by the official, Ms Marzan sought the help of the CIDG, prompting Col. Eleazar to set up an entrapment. As soon the suspect received the marked money from Ms Marzan, the CIDG immediately collared the surprised Napolcom head. "Pumapalag pa nga nung pinoposasan naming eh dahil abogado daw siya ng Napolcom at bakit daw siya ginaganun (The suspect even tried to resist arrest when we were putting the hand cuffs, saying he is a Napolcom lawyer, so why were we arresting him)," said Col. Eleazar.

Eleazar said he informed the suspect’s immediate superior, who said he does not tolerate shameful acts of his personnel. "The Napolcom director advised us that appropriate case should be filed against the suspect so that he can also file administrative case against him (Porquerino)," said Eleazar. This was the first time a top official of the Napolcom was arrested by the police, although the CIDG and the local police are under the supervision of the Napolcom.