Assisstant Provincial Prosecutor dismissed and disbarred for extortion

Cavite fiscal sacked for alleged extortion

A Cavite fiscal was removed from his post Thursday after he allegedly extorted money from a complainant in an estafa case.

Provincial Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco dismissed Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Leonuel Mas after he allegedly demanded more than P50,000 from Annabelle and Lauro Sarte, both complainants of an estafa case involving P1 million pending before Mas.

The Sartes alleged that during the preliminary investigation of their case, Mas had asked them to pay more than P100,000 for a docket fee, much more than was required in court. Mas purportedly told the complainants that the money would help move the case forward since the defendant was very powerful and had connections with Cavite fiscals.

The complainants, however, allegedly haggled with Mas and reportedly ended up paying P58,000. Velasco said Mas immediately pocketed the money without issuing an official receipt.

Upon learning that a criminal case was filed against him, Mas tendered his resignation Wednesday evening.

Velasco, however, said that the resignation of any government official does not prevent proceedings from continuing based on administrative or criminal complaints filed against him or her. Report from Marieton Pacheco, ABS-CBN News & abs-cbnNEWS.com | 03/26/2009 9:59 PM.