Cebu City police monitoring group extorting money

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is monitoring a group of individuals who are using names of prominent individuals to extort money.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the CCPO, said that they are alarmed with this kind of modus, especially after learning about an incident wherein the name of city director Police Colonel Joefino Ligan was used to avail of a catering service.

“Usa sa hapit mabiktima mao atong city director nga si Colonel Ligan. Maayo nalang gani kay ang usa ka catering company, niari usa sa atong office ug gi-verify kung tinuod ba gyud nga nag-order ug nagpa-reserve ang atong city director,” said Parilla.

(Our city director Colonel Ligan was almost a victim. It was good thing that the catering company went to our office to verify if our city director really ordered and reserved from them. )

According to Parilla, the modus of this group is that they book catering services using a known name.  To verify the booking, the group will provide a number of other prominent names to confirm their connection with them.

“To make it sure nga mutuo gyud ang ilahang gi-order-ran, duna sad silay silay ihatag nga number, nga prominente sad gihapon but ila ra diay ning kaila nga muingon nga ‘Oo kaila nako na si Colonel Ligan. Suod na nako,” said Parilla.

(To make sure their victims will believe their claim, they will provide a contact number of a prominent person, who is just someone they know, to confirm that he or she knows Colonel Ligan as a close friend.)

In Ligan’s case, Parilla said that when this certain group tried to order on behalf of the city director, they allegedly provided a number of a barangay captain, who confirmed their connection with Ligan.

Upon confirmation, the said group and the catering service agreed to meet to settle the payment. However, on the day of the meet-up, the group would ask for an amount of money for any reason.

“Muingon na nga magkita ta kay para mag bayranay and then later on, muingon nga ‘loadi lang usa ko diha ug P500 or P1,000 kay na-alanganin ko, on my way nako, di nako katawag nimo,'”said Parilla.

(When they agree to meet to settle payment, they will later tell their victims ‘first, buy cellphone load for me worth P500 or P1,000 because I have a small problem, I am on my way and I can’t call anymore.)

Police said  they have received reports of this modus being used recently, wherein the names of officials from the Cebu City Government are being used.

With this matter, Parilla is encouraging the public to stay vigilant and avoid being tricked by these groups.

/bmjo