Gay who duped man faces charges

CEBU, Philippines - A gay man is facing charges for allegedly threatening to post nude photos of a 19-year-old man online when the latter stopped communicating with him.

Vladimir Silao, 21, of Banawa, Guadalupe was arrested in an entrapment operation at Mango Square Mall around 10pm last Thursday night. The operation was conducted by the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) of the PNP.

The victim, a Filipino-American who is studying in Cebu, told The FREEMAN that he came to know Silao on Facebook when the latter pretended to be a friend of a certain Celine Garcia, a woman that the victim also met on Facebook five months ago. Silao reportedly offered to “bridge” the relationship between the two.

Because he found her very beautiful on photos, the complainant said he got hooked and eventually fell in love with Garcia He even agreed to take pictures of himself nude and sent them to her. All this time, their “relationship” was strictly online.

Since knowing each other, Silao had reportedly invited the complainant out twice and the arrangement between him and Garcia remained the same online until two weeks ago when he discovered that Garcia’s Facebook account was fictitious and that it was Silao who created and maintained the same.

“He admitted to me that he was Celine two weeks ago, it was also there that I stopped communication and meeting him,” the complainant said.

When he refused to meet with Silao further, Silao allegedly threatened to post his nude photos online.

The threats reportedly prompted him to consult with his mother who brought him to the police station to file a formal complaint.

Because the complainant had with him Silao’s mobile phone, he arranged to meet Silao at Mango Square last Thursday purportedly to return the phone. This was when Silao was arrested by authorities. The complainant later turned over to the police Silao’s Samsung phone that reportedly contained nude pictures.

Silao, for his part, admitted having posed as a woman on Facebook and befriended the complainant, but denied that he threatened him. He also claimed that he and the complainant had a “special” relationship. As proof, he showed a text message that reportedly came from the complainant, which reads, “I love you to the point that I don’t care who you are.”

IDMB chief Bonifaco Garciano said formal charges for grave threats will be filed against Silao today. — (FREEMAN)