Extortion by text

Two persons who tried to extort P2 million from Sen. Ramon Revilla and his daughter by way of text messages were arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation in Manila the other day.

Nabbed were Jacqueline Gaspay, 29, jobless and Michael Milla, 28, jobless, both residents of 107-I Flores street, Malibay, Pasay City. The suspects are now detained at the NBI detention cell after being charged with robbery-extortion before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said the pair was arrested after receiving P10,000 in marked money from Jerry Panela, a member of Revilla’s staff.

Earlier, the senator had written a letter to Wycoco seeking assistance in the attempt to extort money from Rowena Mendiola, Revilla’s daughter and chief-of-staff.

Revilla sent Panela to coordinate with the NBI-Special Action Unit (SAU), which Wycoco ordered to look into the complaint. Initial investigation revealed that the suspects had sent text messages to Mendiola’s mobile phone, stating their "silence was worth P2 million."

The NBI did not disclose what the suspects were threatening to expose.

Panela said he haggled with the message sender to lower the amount to P700,000. The pay-off was arranged to take place inside a restaurant at the corner of San Andres street and Roxas Boulevard in Ermita, Manila Tuesday afternoon.

Panela relayed the details to Revilla, who in turn wrote a letter to Wycoco. The NBI chief then assigned SAU agents to set an entrapment.

At around 4:15 p.m., Milla approached Panela, who was standing outside a convenience store in the area. Milla took the brown envelope containing the P10,000 marked money along with boodle cash, which had been prepared for the entrapment.

As soon as Milla got inside the taxi, NBI agents blocked the vehicle and arrested the occupants. The money was seized from Gaspay.

Both were found positive for ultra-violet powder that was on the marked money. Taxi driver Chito Reambonanza was immediately released from custody when the two suspects said that they merely hired him.