CABANATUAN CITY – Two persons were arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Team (CIDT) Thursday for alleged extortion activities by identifying themselves as intelligence agents of the said office and the National Bureau of Investigation.
The suspects were identified as Raymundo Lacanilao, 63, a resident of Barangay Esguerra and Emerson Grospe, 38, of Barangay Pinagpanaan,both of Talavera, Nueva Ecija. Senior Inspector Romeo Lanzarrote, CIDT provincial officer, said they recovered from Lacanilao several pieces of CIDT identification cards while Grospe yielded IDs for the NBI agent when arrested at about 9:30 p.m. in Barangay Bantog, Talavera town.
Authorities also recovered from the suspects an NBI badge, a CIDG bull cap and T-shirts marked with CIDG logo and Philippine Guardians Brotherhood. Police also impounded Lacanilao’s car (PNJ-111) which also carries a CIDG commemorative plate, allegedly used in regularly rounding up business establishments in this city and other places.
“There were also copies of arrest warrants and newspaper clippings with wanted persons which suggest they also rake money from suspected law breakers,” Lanzarrote added. Follow up investigation showed the two have been into the racket for about ten years now, according to Lanzarrote.
Lanzarrote said his office has been receiving complaints from local businessmen over alleged extortion activities of the duo until his office received a complaint from an owner of an amusement carnival, a certain Reynaldo Fajardo, of Barangay Liwayway, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija.
Fajardo told the CIDT that Grospe and Lacanilao introduced themselves as NBI and CIDT agents, respectively, from San Fernando, Pampanga and demanded protection money. The suspects, who were detained at the CIDT facility here, refused to comment even as the government agents readied charges of robbery- extortion and usurpation of authority against them.
