OFW mom detained and extorted by police officers in Novaliches.

An OFW and single mom was in the country for her daughter's graduation. She also went to see a friend in Tandang Sora. Before they could leave the place, they were arrested by two policemen and were accused of drug possession. They were then detained and extorted -- the money should have gone for the treatment of her cancer.

Acoording to her son's account:

They were then told that they would be taken to the police laboratory for the tests. But instead they were driven back to the slum area in Tandang Sora because the cops claimed they needed to talk to their informer. There the two cops alighted and went inside the compound while my mother, her friends, and the errand boy of the police station remained in the car. At that point, the said errand boy told them that they needed only to pay twenty thousand pesos each and they will be released. This is a clear case of soliciting bribes, and my mom and her friends refused.

And so instead of being taken to the laboratory for the drug tests, they were taken back to the police station in Talipapa. At this point, my mom and her friends were understandably very mad. She demanded that they go and get the tests already so they can all go home. When the cops were pissed off with their legitimate complaints, they were detained behind bars!

What’s more, when they were asked to list down their belongings that they were supposed to surrender before being detained, police officer Mar Palic refused to list down my mother’s cellphone; he took it! If it’s any consolation, my mother was allowed to make one phone call which she used to ask my uncle to come to her rescue.

I'm very, very disgusted that something like this could happen. What's more, it happens every day, except that very few people tell other people about it.