North Cotabato fake traffic enforcer falls

KIDAPAWAN CITY -Police operatives arrested in an entrapment operations along the highway in Tulunan, North Cotabato a traffic enforcer for alleged extortion, around 9am, Friday. Superintendent Danny Peralta, provincial director of the Cotabato Police Provincial Office (CPPO), identified the suspect as Wilkens Torres, 26, of Ozamis City who identified himself as member of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of the Philippine National Police. In a report, Torres was caught receiving ‘bribe’ money from a truck driver who happened to be a police officer.Report said it was Peralta who assigned such officer to act as truck driver in order to catch Torres. It was learned from an HPG officer based in Kidapawan City that Torres is not among their legitimate members.But at the time of the arrest, reports said, the suspect was wearing an HPG uniform. Senior Inspector Florencio Achivar, HPG-Cotabato chief, said Torres was just one of their volunteers. He admitted that the highway check along Barangay Sibsib, Tulunan on Friday was HPG-initiated. However, he said the collection of bribe money was not part of their ‘standard operating procedure’. Also, the HPG operatives were about 100 meters away from where Torres was at the time of the entrapment operation. Torres was immediately placed under the custody of CPPO and that charges of violation of the Revised Penal Code are being readied against him.