7 held for extorting money from CDO mayor

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — Seven persons who allegedly tried to extort P1.5 million from Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno will be charged with robbery-extortion, according to the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Northern Mindanao.

CIDG-Region 10 deputy chief Maj. Napoleon Carpio said the suspects, who demanded the money in exchange for the release of Moreno’s son who was detained for illegal drugs, were arrested in an entrapment on Thursday last week.

Moreno said one of the suspects, Ryan Mabborang, called him up and identified himself as Col. Ferdinand Sifuentes, deputy director for operations at the regional police headquarters based at Camp Alagar.

Mabborang also reportedly dropped the names of other police officials based in Angeles City, Pampanga, where Moreno’s son was arrested.

Moreno said he found out that Mabborang was only posing as a police officer when he called Sifuentes.