Man claiming to be an NBI agent nabbed after allegedly taking 250,000 in entrapment operation

Authorities have arrested a man who claimed to be an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation and reportedly asked for P250,000 in exchange for the release of two Chinese rescued by the NBI and Chinese Embassy last week.

According to Marisol Abdurahman’s report on “24 Oras” on Monday, suspect Lary Marbid was captured in an entrapment operation on Sunday night after asking the amount of cash from a woman .

The victim was a friend of two Chinese nationals who are being held by the NBI while their papers are being processed.

“Allegedly nagpapakilalang taga-NBI and nanghihingi ng P250,000 for the release of doon sa dalawang Chinese,” said Southern Police District Special Operation Unit chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert Mendoza.

(Allegedly, he introduced himself from the NBI and asked for P250,000 for the release of two Chinese.)

Marbid said that he was a member of the staff of a high ranking official of the NBI.

During apprehension, another suspect Laurence Delos Ria, appeared and tried to stop the operation.

Seized from Marbid was an identification card of NBI.

“Ongoing pa rin ang investigation namin at coordination namin sa NBI to validate kung totoo ba talagang CA ang taong ito based doon sa nakuhang ID sa kanya,” said Southern Police District director Police Brigadier General Kirby Kraft.

(Our investigation and coordination with the NBI is still ongoing to validate if this person is really a CA based on the ID obtained from him.)

The suspects denied the accusations against them.

“Ako po ay civilian… civilian volunteer. Galing po doon [sa NBI ang ID] dahil marami naman na akong natulong doon,” Marbid said.

(I’m a civilian… civilian volunteer. The ID came from the NBI because I’ve helped a lot in the agency.)

“Hindi po,” Tria added when asked if he was part of the NBI and was involved in extortion.

According to the NBI, Marbid is not an agent or employee of the agency.

“Officially, wala na pong mga consultant at confidential agent ang NBI because of the abuses previously reported. So, ‘yung mga IDs ng consultant at confidential agents were recalled as early as August 2, 2022,” NBI spokesperson Atty. Giselle Garcia-Dumlao spokesperson said.

(Officially, the NBI no longer has consultants and confidential agents because of the abuses previously reported. So, the IDs of consultants and confidential agents were recalled as early as August 2, 2022.)

Authorities are still investigating whether the suspects, who are detained at SPD headquarters, have other accomplices. —Mel Matthew Doctor/NB, GMA News