• THERESA MAE DULMAN
An individual posing as a ‘police major’ was arrested by the Bacolod City Police Office in a joint entrapment operation on Saturday, and was charged with 16 counts of robbery extortion totaling P700,000 and usurpation of authority.
The arrested suspect was identified as a 38-year-old single male resident of Morales, Koronadal City, South Cotabato, known by the alias “PMAJ Calsado” or alias “John”.
The sting operation was initiated following multiple complaints that the suspect was deceiving victims by falsely representing himself as a police major in committing extortion.
The operation was executed by joint elements of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the BCPO, with support from the Regional Investigation and Detection Group NIR, Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group NIR, City Drug Enforcement Unit, and Police Station 8 at around 12:45 p.m. outside the Days Inn Hotel in Golden Field, Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City.
During the arrest, authorities recovered 3 pieces of P1,000 used as bait money, 18 pieces of P1,000 boodle money, an OPPO cellphone, and one unit of Mitsubishi Mirage with conduction number FI140A.
The arrested suspect is now in police custody and will face appropriate charges for Robbery Extortion and Usurpation of Authority.
“[We] assure the public of its commitment to safeguarding the community from individuals exploiting the name of law enforcement,” BCPO said in a statement.*
