By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The head of the Bacolod City Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was arrested in an entrapment operation last Thursday by the Philippine National Police-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group-Visayas ((PNP-IMEG Visayas) field unit, PNP Special Action Force, and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office after allegedly demanding money from two individuals at the Guanzon Coliseum in Bacolod City’s Barangay Mansilingan.
According to a source, Police Major Melvin Madrona, who has been at the CIDG post for a month, was arrested following allegations of extorting P5,000 weekly, hotel accommodations, food, and airfare from an owner of a KTV bar after promising not to raid the establishment for unlicensed sale of alcohol.
The police official, who became aggressive when being processed, denied the accusations and claimed the complainants “put up a scenario to press him.”
Madrona initially sought P10,000 a week from the first complainant but eventually negotiated it down to P5,000. During the operation, the second claimant arrived to allegedly pay P5,000 to the suspect.
The law enforcement official faces extortion charges.
Authorities are also currently preparing additional administrative charges against him.
With the operation ordered by PNP headquarters at Camp Crame, police officials are presently awaiting directives seeking his transfer to headquarters.
Meanwhile, while undergoing booking, three more complainants surfaced with the same accusation.
Another civilian was also arrested in the operation and subjected to investigation.
Additionally, the source said Madrona was reportedly involved in cockfighting and was under monitoring.
They also claimed four more policemen in the province are subject to monitoring for the same issue; however, no details were provided as they are still pending investigation./DGB, WDJ