Tongpats Of Kotong Cops

I don’t know what should I call this new modus operandi… tongpats (slang word of filipino word patong, means padding in accounting) or kotong (extortion)? Judge it yourself.

This is the current problem of small night establishments in Paranaque. Last week, almost every night, a group of cops headed by an intelligence agent talked to each of these small establishments encouraging them that they should get the liquor supply from them (cops). A case of San Miguel beer costs php372, price per case they offer is php420.

No normal businessman would get his merchandise at a higher price, that means more expenses and less income. Of course, nobody want to get their supplies from them and this team manipulated everything. They talked to all possible beer dealers and asked them to make a markup of php48 if any of these establishments buy their supplies from them. They said they would know if any of these small establishments get their beer to other dealers at normal price, they will be raid. Knowing their old system, it will be a frame up raid. Please read Buwaya sa Dilim to have an idea of how it will be done.

According to this “intel” (short of intelligence), “utos ng nasa itaas” (means it was ordered by their superior). Who are their superior? To where the markup goes? I don’t know. My concern is the effects of this wrong doing of these supposed to be protector of the nation.

I thought the new PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa will continue the PNP programs. He already made a new memorandum on human rights and still revising it as of this writing after earning negative feedback from media. I hope after doing the new memorandum, he will take care of all kotong cops and their superiors accordingly soon. Kotong cops are additional burden to small establishments especially now that Philippines is affected by global crisis.