NLRC commissioner faces extortion raps

A commissioner of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and three other people were charged before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday for allegedly extorting P200,000 from a Filipino-Canadian national.

Sources at the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office said charges of robbery-extortion, direct bribery and violation of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act were lodged against NLRC commissioner Victoriano Calaycay, businessman Dennis Gabionza, and two employees of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Calaycay and his co-accused were reportedly arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation.

It appeared that the Filipino-Canadian businessman, who refused to be identified, arrived in the country last October to set up a labor recruitment agency.

Calaycay and his co-accused allegedly promised to help the businessman secure a license permit from the POEA, but in return they reportedly demanded P400,000 in exchange, to be made in two payments.

The initial downpayment of P200,000 was reportedly scheduled at past 8 p.m. last Friday at Century Park Sheraton Hotel in Pasay City.

The NBI prepared the P200,000, of which two of the P100 bills were marked. After the money had changed hands, the NBI agents moved in and arrested Calaycay and his cohorts.

Efforts to reach Calaycay and his co-accused for comment were unsuccessful.