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MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday arrested in an entrapment operation a Quezon City prosecutor for allegedly extorting P80,000 from a doctor.

Assistant City Prosecutor III Raul Y. Desambrana was arrested before noon Friday at Serye Restaurant at the Quezon City Memorial Circle. He was caught in the act of receiving P80,000 from Atty. Rey Cortez, counsel for Dr. Alex Montes.

The NBI conducted the entrapment operation upon the request of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL). The NUPL made the request after its client, Montes, who is one of the so-called Morong 43, reported that the prosecutor was asking P80,000 in exchange for a favorable ruling in an unjust vexation case filed by a retired military chaplain.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima authorized the entrapment operation.

“I said it before and I will say it again: at the risk of causing occasional embarrassment to us as an institution, I don’t mind authorizing such entrapment operations even on a regular basis if only to rid our ranks with misfits and scalawags,” De Lima said.

“Integrity should be and ought to be our bedrock, and is still the best and only policy, especially on the part of our frontline service providers such as prosecutors,” De Lima added

The prosecutor who is currently detained at the NBI will be facing cases for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code for Indirect Bribery.

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