MANILA, Philippines - Unscrupulous policemen in Quezon City can no longer prey on couples, accusing them of indecency to extort money.

The cityâ€™s top police official, Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, has banned police officers from making the rounds of streets at night to prevent the racket of catching lovers in intimate acts inside their parked vehicles.

â€œThat is not our priority. Our priority is the anti-crime campaign,â€ the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director said yesterday.

Albano issued the directive to the QCPDâ€™s 12 police station commanders to stop the night patrols of a few unscrupulous policemen.

This was after the arrest of two policemen from the Galas police station who allegedly tried to extort P20,000 from a couple parked in New Manila on Tuesday night.

â€œI will personally hold all station commanders responsible for their men if another extortion incident happens like this again,â€ Albano said.

Police Officers 1 Ronaldo Englis, 39, and Ronald Mansibang, 28, have been administratively relieved from their duties following the incident.

Another one, PO1 Christopher Lucky Dee dela PeÃ±a, left his home and has gone into hiding, said QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit head Chief Inspector Rodel Marcelo.

The three policemen allegedly accused the couple of indecency.

Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, who is friends with the womanâ€™s family, went to the coupleâ€™s rescue.

Albano said intimate acts inside oneâ€™s car, even if the allegations were true, do not constitute a criminal offense.

â€œIt is within the privacy of oneâ€™s car, so there is nothing alarming or scandalous in that,â€ the police general said.

QCPD deputy director for administration Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao said the three will be facing administrative charges of grave misconduct, which is punishable by dismissal from service.