‘Lawyer’ promising a favorable divorce ruling falls for extortion

A PERSON who posed as a lawyer was arrested yesterday in Kunisawa apartment, Durian Street, Daliao, Toril District after allegedly extorting a couple filing for divorce.

The operation was launched against suspect Juvern Reyes Garcia around 8:45 a.m. yesterday when victim Juvy dela Pena Furui sought police assistance.

Maj. Milgrace Driz, the head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Davao City Field Unit, said the suspect was arrested after accepting the marked money from the victim worth P42,000.

The money was supposed to be payment for processing the petition for recognition of foreign judgment of divorce. The suspect reportedly promised the suspect of a positive ruling.

Driz said Garcia pretended to be a lawyer and a certified public accountant. During the arrest, drug paraphernalia were supposedly seen in plain view inside the room of the suspect. Also confiscated as evidence were the marked money and the fake ID issued by the Professional Regulations Commissions.

The suspect was brought to the CIDGDavao City office for booking. He was turned over to the Toril Police Station for detention.