Bogus agent of NBI  slapped with robbery

A case for robbery was filed yesterday in court against a fake agent of National Bureau of Investigation who was earlier arrested for allegedly trying to extort money from a spa operator.

The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has indicted Antonio Vargas of the crime of robbery and recommended P120,000 bail for his temporary liberty.

Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon found probable cause to hold Vargas for trial.

Hedelysa Echavez of Spa Cebu alleged that Vargas forcibly took the integrated circuit boards of her air-conditioning unit and demanded P15,000 in exchange.

Echavez said that last Monday, Vargas went to her shop in Banilad, identified himself as an NBI agent and forcibly took the circuit boards of the two air-conditioning units.

Echavez immediately reported the incident to the NBI, whose agents then planned out an entrapment operation.

During the operation, Vargas was caught in the act of receiving the money he allegedly demanded from Echavez inside his repair shop along D. Jakosalem Street last Monday afternoon.  Vargas wrestled with NBI agents Reynaldo Villordon and Bernard de la Cruz in his bid to free himself, insisting that he too is an NBI agent.

Vargas’ daughter Mary Ann, however, denied that her father tried to extort money from Echavez.

Mary Ann said that Vargas owed some money to them for the repair of her air-conditioning unit but she does not want to pay.  — Fred P. Languido/LPM