8 alleged posers arrested over extortion in Laguna — police

The Laguna police on Tuesday said eight individuals posing as members of the press were arrested on Monday after allegedly extorting money from a funfair owner in Calamba City.

In a statement, the police identified the suspects as Anne Cortez, Eric Florez Floro, Rose Marie Malazarte,  Benjamin Olino Javier Jr., Theresa Dela Cruz Regaza, Christoper Angeles Yu, Efren Dela Cruz Regaza, and Rodamy Llamazares Prado.

The Calamba Police Station said the suspects were demanding P8,000 weekly from the funfair owner as “protection money” and threatening to close the establishment if he will refuse.

According to the police, the suspects introduced themselves as media personnel.

The police also found out that the suspects were the same persons reporting supposed false information to Philippine National Police’s E-Sumbong and InfoText platforms.

Recovered from the suspects were several fake identification cards and suspected extortion money.

Laguna police chief Police Colonel Cecilio Ison Jr. said the incident will be investigated further.

“This is a rising concern which we must address to halt the modus operandi of these persons who are roaming around funfair business establishments to extort money in exchange for ‘the continuity of the business operations,” he said.

“These culprits are seemingly the same persons who are sending us [false information] thru social media and our hotline numbers. We have started to launch operations to address these concerns,” he added.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA News