Cops thwart extort try vs congressman

Quezon City police operatives arrested the other day two brothers who tried to extort money from an opposition congressman by threatening to reveal information of his alleged love child.

Chief Superintendent Nicasio Radovan, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director, said the QCPD intelligence unit, headed by Superintendent Roger James Brillantes, nabbed Richard and Elmer Samudio, natives of Iloilo, in the act of receiving marked money from Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico during an entrapment operation.

"The suspects had demanded P160,000 from the congressman in exchange for their silence about his alleged love child in Iloilo," Radovan said.

Suplico, in a telephone interview with The STAR, said he has no love child in Iloilo.

"The brothers told me that if I don’t come up with the money, they would destroy my name," he said.

When the suspects called again, the congressman coordinated with the Quezon City police, which set up the entrapment operation.

A team of the operatives, led by Inspector Gloriano Mariano, accompanied Suplico who met with Richard. The other suspect acted as a lookout.

After Richard received a plastic bag containing the marked money, police officers arrested the suspects.

The QCPD filed a case of robbery-extortion against the suspects with Quezon City inquest prosecutor Josephus Asis, who recommended P100,000 bail for their provisional liberty.