Man caught  for extortion, posing as electric firm rep

CEBU, Philippines — A 48-year-old resident of Cebu City was arrested in a police entrapment operation in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, Friday afternoon (December 19), for allegedly extorting money by posing as an official of the Visayan Electric Company (VECO).

The arrested man was identified as Lawrence Soriano Torrefiel, a resident of Sitio Angelous in Barangay Sambag 1, Cebu City.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 (CIDG-7) Mandaue City Field Unit conducted the entrapment, in line with its law enforcement operation against Robbery Through Threat and Intimidation or Extortion.

CIDG-7 reports said the victim, Edrico Ouano, a resident of Mandaue City, personally went to the authorities and formally filed a complaint against Torrefiel, who earlier identified himself as “Germano Ricaplaza," falsely representing himself as an employee and authorized representative of VECO.

The “Germano Ricaplaza” person, accused Ouano’s establishment of having a tampered electric meter but, through intimidation, demanded P40,000 cash in exchange for a supposed intervention that would free the establishment from  the penalty of disconnection.

The CIDG-7, in response to Ouano’s complaint, set the entrapment operation against the suspect. Ouano himself was made to pose as the willing victim, but under the watch of the hiding CIDG-7 personnel.

As soon as the suspect received the marked money, CIDG-7 operatives quickly swooped on him and identified themselves. “Germano Ricaplaza” was caught red-handed.

The CIDG-7, upon further investigation, found the suspect’s true identity, as Lawrence Torrefiel, and who has “no authority, position, or employment” with VECO or Visayan Electric.

Confiscated during the operation were a meter report form of VECO, marked money consisting of a genuine P1,000 bill and 39 pieces of 1,000 boodle money, a motorcycle and its key, a ballpen, and a cellular phone. The pieces of evidence were then submitted for proper documentation.

CIDG-7 said Torrefiel committed a crime of usurpation of authority and extortion. As of this writing, however,  VECO has not yet released a statement regarding the matter.

Torrefiel is currently detained under the custodial facility of the CIDG-7, pending the formal filing of the appropriate charges against him.

He will face charges for violations against Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code for robbery through threat and intimidation or extortion, and Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code for usurpation of authority. — (FREEMAN)