Cops, soldiers trap `NPA’ extortionist

From the Catanduanes Tribune (Jun12): Cops, soldiers trap `NPA’ extortionist

An alleged extortionist posing as a commander of the New People’s Army (NPA) was caught in a trap laid out by policemen and soldiers in Viga town last week after his would-be victim reported the extort attempt to the authorities.

The poseur turned out to be one Al Usero Vega, 30, reportedly a son of former Provincial Board Member Rene Vega and a resident of barangay San Vicente.

Vega’s arrest at 9 A.M. of May 31 came after PBM Arnel Turado complained to the Viga police that an unidentified suspect identifying himself as “Ka Jorge/Ka Melvin”had sent threatening text messages and demanding P20,000.00 cash as revolutionary tax.

Turado managed to lower the amount to P5,000.00 as a compromise, with the suspect directing that the cash be sent through Smart Padala account number 5299-6748-0068-4103. It is claimed that after the PBM reported the matter to the police, an Army officer used Turado’s cellphone in negotiating with the suspect and then traced the Smart Padala account to owner Rosel Evangelista, also of barangay San Vicente.

Acting quickly, joint elements of the Viga police led by SPO1 Erwin Pichuela and the 83rd Infantry Battalion led by Corporal Gilbert Rada conducted an entrapment operation wherein Vega was collared while receiving the P5,000.00 marked money from Evangelista.

Recovered from the suspect’s possession were five pieces of photocopied P1,000 bills, a P1,000 marked money, a Ken Xin Sa cellphone, a Lenovo cellphone, and a cigarette lighter. Appropriate charges are now being prepared for filing against the suspect. One of the cellphones reportedly contained numbers of several elective officials, candidates and businessmen.

According to sources, several PBMs and other elective officials had been victimized by the alleged extortionist, who also preyed on traders. One trader allegedly forked over thousands of pesos to the suspect. PBM Lorenzo Templonuevo, Jr., told the Tribune that he received similar threatening text messages from one Ka Melwin, who demanded payment of P20,000 revolutionary tax. He said he refused and when the extortionist threatened that something bad would happen, the PBM challenged the suspect to a gunfight.

 http://www.catanduanestribune.com/article/3YC9