Man who 'extorted' from power firm customer nabbed

CEBU, Philippines - Police arrested a 42-year-old man who claimed he was a supervisor of Mactan Electric Company for allegedly extorting money from a woman in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City last Thursday evening.

In an entrapment, police arrested Froilan Larazaga who hails from Ward 4, Minglanilla town, Cebu. His alleged victim, Janet Cantiveros, 34, resident of Purok Kapayas, Barangay Gun-ob handed him P 1,000 at around 7:10 p.m. which was the signal for authorities to place him under arrest.

Police Officer 2 Glenn Estrada of Gun-ob Police Station said Cantiveros was connecting a line through the house of her neighbor when Larazaga called her attention, saying it was “illegal” and that he would report her actions to Meco.

“Matud sa biktima, nananghid na siya daan sa Meco nga mag-flying connection siya sa kuryente para masugaan ang haya sa namatay niyang papa,” Estrada said.

Due to limited space inside her house, Cantiveros decided to hold the wake of his father outside her house starting last Tuesday.

Estrada said Larazaga, who told Cantiveros that his name was “Jun Navarro” and an official from the utility firm, asked her P1,000  in exchange for his silence.

Bothered by the way the suspect asked her, Cantiveros reportedly went to Meco to confirm Larazaga’s identity but she was told that the suspect was terminated few months ago.

“Ang suspetsado sub-contractor sa Meco pero dili na connected didto around three to four months na ang milabay,” Estrada said.

The utility firm immediately coordinated with the police to arrest Larazaga.

Estrada said the suspect is now detained in their withholding cell and will face charges of extortion next week.

In a separate interview, Meco General Manager Gilbert Pagobo said they will continue to file cases against individuals involved in extorting money from their consumers.

“Kung nakailad mo karon, ugma...ang amo ra, madakpan ra gyud mo, mabuko ra gyud mo. Ang Meco dili mo undangan hangtod di mo madakpan. Gihimo ni sa Meco isip protection sa mga consumers,” Pagobo said. — Christell Fatima M. Tudtud (FREEMAN)