"Police asset" nabbed for extortion

CEBU, Philippines - A man, who identified himself as a police asset entitled to a reward for a good deed done was arrested after allegedly trying to extort money from a jewelry dealer who was just recently robbed of P7.6 million (not P6.2 million as earlier reported) last Tuesday.

Adonis Ayong Bacayo, 33, single and resident of Kinasang-an Pardo, Cebu City, was arrested by police around 8:30 p.m. the other day in AA Barbecue along N. Bacalso Ave., barangay Bulacao-Pardo.

Elements of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of Cebu City Police Office led by Chief Insp. George Ylanan set up the entrapment operation against Bacayo after Jennifer de la Cerna sought their assistance.

Ylanan said de la Cerna, the jewelry dealer, called them last Friday afternoon for help regarding a man who allegedly asked for a reward from her.

Ylanan said that the man allegedly identified himself to de la Cerna as the police asset who went to the Punta Princesa police station and informed them about the fleeing suspects who robbed her last Tuesday afternoon at corner F. Llamas St. and N. Bacalso Ave.

Afraid and suspicious as he might be part of the same group that robbed her, de la Cerna called up the police and the entrapment operation was then set up at the said place where the two allegedly agreed to meet.

The suspect was then spotted and as soon as he received the marked money from a female police decoy, the team rushed in and apprehended him.

Bacayo, in an interview with reporters, alleged that after learning from the news that those who helped in the arrest of the suspects will be given a reward, he then looked for de la Cerna in her house in barangay Bulacao.

When he was told she was at an establishment at corner Colon St. and Osmeña Blvd. he went there.

When he did not find her there, he left his number with a relative and told them to tell de la Cerna to contact him as he was the one who helped the police arrest the four robbers.

Bacayo alleged that he just told de la Cerna that he was the one who told her to call up the police right after she was robbed outside a fastfood outlet in the place.

Ylanan, laughing out loud, told Bacayo that anyone who witnessed the robbery could have instructed de la Cerna what to do. In fact, Ylanan said, there were about more than ten people who told her to call the attention of the nearby police right after her bag was taken away by the robbers.

“Mao lagi. Sayop man sad ‘to nako. Nabuhat ra man sad ‘to nako tungod sa kawad-on,” Bacayo said. He alleged that he told de la Cerna to give him just any amount but he would have wanted P1,000.

When asked what he would do with the money he said he would buy beer for his peers in Kinasang-an. His friends were allegedly waiting for him as he assured them that he would be able to have money that night. He was disappointed when he was arrested instead.

The suspect is now detained at the Cebu City Police Office stockade and will be facing a charge for extortion on Monday.

Meanwhile, the information on robbery suspects Jennifer Enriquez and Frederick Ybañez have already been filed before the Regional Court yesterday.

Enriquez was able to post a bail of P100,000.

The three suspects who earlier filed their waiver of detention, Noel Davis, Jeromy Polistico and Kirby Abanilla, said they will withdraw their waiver.

Charges against them will also be forwarded in court once the withdrawal will be done.

The other suspects the alleged mastermind Roy Quimada, his lawyer Louie Arma and Junjun Gamanay were asked to submit their counter-affidavit after a subpoena was already sent to them. — Niña G. Sumacot and Jasmin R. Uy/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)