5 fake MMDA personnel face extortion raps

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) warned the public yesterday about a newly discovered modus operandi used by five tow truck service employees to extort money from drivers and owners of closed vans or trucks.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring identified the suspects as Marlon Estanislao Dizon, 35, driver; Jerry Jacalne, 42; Ferdinand Perez, 28; Christopher Perez, 31; and Rommel Siega Napoles, 23. All five, said to be employees of JB Towing Services in Cainta, Rizal, have been charged with robbery and extortion before the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office.

Last Oct. 16, the NBI received information that the suspects would monitor the trucks and vans parked along the Marcos Highway in Pasig City. While the drivers have lunch, the suspects would use an improvised blade to pierce the vehicle’s fuel hose, causing the fuel to leak onto the street.

“The trucks would only be able to travel a few meters before they totally run low on gas. One of the suspects would approach the truck driver, introduce himself as a traffic enforcer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and reprimand him for a parking violation,” Head Agent Sixto Comia, of the NBI-Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD), said.

The suspects would then allegedly extort between P1,500 to P4,000 from each victim, threatening that they would tow the vehicle to the MMDA office.

“This modus operandi has reportedly been going on for more than a year. They victimize about five to six trucks a day. Based on our interview, it appeared that there are about five tow truck companies that are reportedly engaged in these illegal activities,” Comia said.

He added that the suspects also victimize motorists in Marikina, Mandaluyong, Pasig, and San Juan.

NBI Deputy Director for Intelligence Service Ruel Lasala said these groups often target closed vans because their fuel lines are often exposed. He advised the motorists to cover their fuel lines with galvanized iron sheets.

“Upon learning about their modus operandi, the MMDA cancelled the accreditation of the JB Towing Services. They would reportedly show their MMDA ‘Metro Gwapo’ accreditation identification cards to the drivers to convince them of their connection to the MMDA,” Lasala said.