Tabloid columnist arrested

A tabloid columnist was arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation for allegedly extorting P20,000 from a Customs broker.

Arrested by agents of the NBI’s Anti-Graft Division was Renato "Nats" Taboy, columnist of the Bulgar tabloid.

According to the NBI, Taboy allegedly wrote several columns last March in his column that allegedly tagged complainant Edwin Santos, general manager of JV International Customs Marketing, as an alleged smuggler.

The NBI said Santos was recently approached by a certain "Jimmy" who told him that the attacks against him by Taboy could stop in exchange for P20,000.

Jimmy then told Santos to meet Taboy at a VIP room of Mystique Disco at 9:00 p.m. last Monday. Jimmy told Santos to bring with him the money.

Santos then sought the assistance of the NBI-AGD under Jose Yap who then arranged for Taboy’s entrapment.

According to the NBI, Taboy was nabbed by a team of NBI agents led by Peter Lugay after he allegedly touched the marked 40 pieces of P500 bills.

However, the marked bills that were allegedly touched by Taboy disappeared during the entrapment, the NBI admitted. According to an after operations report of the AGD, Taboy allegedly went to the comfort room of the disco after receiving the marked cash. While inside the comfort room, Taboy, according to the NBI, could have passed the cash to an accomplice.

For his part, Taboy, who is detained at the NBI Jail, said he was just the victim of a frame-up. According to him, he was at the disco after the complaint asked to meet him there to give his side.

Taboy said he was surprised when the complaint gave him a handshake that allegedly pressed the phosphorescent powder to his hands. He also denied Santos’ allegation of extortion. – Mike Frialde