Seven police officers and a civilian asset arrested in Angeles City for alleged arbitrary detention and extortion of 13 persons.

The officers, who are assigned with the Angeles City Police Station 2, were apprehended by operatives of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group during a surprise inspection of their office on Friday around 3:45 pm, according to IMEG director Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon.

The eight arrested were led by Maj. Marvin Aquino, the station's police chief.

De Leon said the cops reportedly demanded P30,000 from 13 persons whom they arrested last May 28 around 11 pm for alleged involvement in illegal drugs

According to De Leon, the police officers told a relative of one of the victims they will downgrade the charges to illegal gambling, which is bailable, if they will give in to their demands.

De Leon said they learned the victims were detained without any single complaint filed against them since their arrest.

There were no entries at the police blotter and crime information reporting and analysis system of the station about the arrest and detention of the victims.

The suspects were brought to the IMEG headquarters at Camp Crame in

Quezon City for investigation.

Angeles police chief Col. Jurit Rara relieved and disarmed Aquino and the other officers from their posts. DMS