DOJ fiscal, 2 aides charged with extortion

MANILA, Philippines - Criminal charges have been filed against a Department of Justice prosecutor and two aides of the DOJ’s National Prosecution Service (NPS) for extortion, Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday.

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Severino Gana and aides Mutya Santiago-Tobes and Louise Siquioco Garcia were also placed under preventive suspension for 90 days.

The charges were filed after National Bureau of Investigation agents conducted an entrapment operation last Aug. 31 against the three.

The operation was set up after Nuriza Abeja, who has a pending case at the NPS, complained that Tobes demanded P300,000 from her in exchange for a favorable ruling by the prosecutor.

Tobes was arrested and was charged with robbery extortion. She was able to post bail.

Gana was implicated after Abeja claimed that the prosecutor himself angrily told her to deliver the money. The victim also said that Garcia threatened to reverse the decision if she failed to pay up.