Suspected extortionists nabbed in QC

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) announced yesterday the arrest of four men, including a barangay kagawad, who attempted to extort money from an owner of a KTV bar in Quezon City.

Supt. Jay Agcaoili, chief of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) headquarters in Camp Karingal, identified the arrested suspects as Jefferson Lee, Alvin Mendoza, Adrian Cortez, 35, and Florante Baluyot.

Cortez is a kagawad in Barangay 186, Zone 16 in Tondo, Manila.

Agcaoili said the suspects were arrested following an entrapment operation at a gasoline station located along Commonwealth Avenue, Philcoa, Quezon City, at 8:45 p.m. Thursday.

He said the operation was conducted following a complaint lodged by businessman Erick Marantan, who owns GJS ITV Bar located at No. 91 Timog Ave. Brgy. South Triangle.

According to Marantan, the suspects tried to extort 250, 000 from him in exchange for a Meralco Meter Base which they took from his establishment.

He said the suspects introduced themselves as employees of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and told him that they had to take the meter base due to his alleged failure to pay the electric bill. They also accused him of tampering with the electric meter.

Sensing that the suspects were not employees of Meralco, he immediately sought the help of DSOU operatives in conducting an entrapment operation.

The suspects initially demanded 800, 000 from him in exchange for the electric meter but was able to haggle the demand down to 250,000.