Man who faked own death caught in Parañaque

A man who allegedly faked his death four years ago to avoid serving a jail sentence was caught in Parañaque yesterday after he used an illegal siren to maneuver his vehicle in heavy traffic.

TMG director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said his men were conducting operations against carjacking and illegal use of sirens along Sucat Road when they noticed a blue Toyota Corolla (plate number UMJ-982), driven by Wilfredo Reyes, with its siren blaring while in heavy traffic at about 7 a.m. yesterday.

Policemen gave chase and flagged the vehicle down. TMG National Capital Region head Senior Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao said Reyes identified himself as an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to policemen who accosted him for possessing a siren.

Reyes voluntarily surrendered his .45 caliber Remington pistol, but failed to produce his permit to carry firearms outside residence (PTCFOR) and gun ban exemption from the Commission on Elections.

“The use of the siren cost him his true identity,” Palad said. “He’s not a free man anymore.”

Palad said they will file charges of violation of the gun ban, illegal use of a siren and usurpation of an official function against Reyes.

Palad said they found that the Supreme Court had affirmed a Parañaque court ruling sentencing Reyes to eight to 10 years in jail for illegal possession of firearms, drug use and usurpation of authority in 2002

However, on Feb. 2, 2003, a woman who identified herself as Reyes’ sister, Teresita, told the Supreme Court that her brother had died of a cardiac arrest in Santiago City and asked that the charges against him be dismissed.

The TMG found that Reyes worked as an NBI agent under its special action unit during the time of the late NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco.

An NBI official told Palad that Reyes was terminated and is reportedly working for his reinstatement in the bureau.

Reyes denied that he faked his death. He said he was on his way to bring his child to school when TMG policemen intercepted him.

“I did not identify myself as an NBI agent nor have I been using my car’s siren at the time,” he said.