MANILA, Philippines — A National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official and three others were arrested in Quezon City Thursday for allegedly extorting P54 million from a businessman.
Acting NBI-Bulacan district director Rudhen Mendoza, 52; NBI agent Jonar Diga, 35; driver Marcelino Aquino, 66; and Kim Jeric, 26, were arrested by the Makati City police in an entrapment operation at a hotel at around 12:30 p.m.
A check for P54 million, issued by businessman Zhifeng Tang, 54, was confiscated from the suspects, Senior Superintendent Eliseo Cruz, Southern Police District director, said yesterday.
Cruz said police officers are hunting down the mastermind, whom he refused to name, of the large-scale extortion racket.
According to Tang, a staff of the Villamar Construction Co. asked him for P54 million as advance payment for the asphalting of the road along J.P. Rizal Extension in Makati City.
While negotiating for the road project, Tang said he gave an initial payment of P5 million to the suspects.
However, Tang found out that the road project was a scam. He reported the racket to the Makati police.
After learning of the suspects’ arrest, two more complainants – Marlon Verano and Elizabeth Rivera – went to the Makati police headquarters claiming they, too, were victimized by the same racket.
The complainants said they handed over P10.5 million to the suspects.
The STAR tried but failed to get the side of Mendoza and his fellow suspects, who are under tight guard at the Makati police station.