Radio commentator nabbed for extorting Cebu mayor

MANILA, Philippines — A radio blocktimer who is running for mayor in the 2025 midterm elections and his companion have been arrested for allegedly extorting money from the mayor of Talisay in Cebu.

In a post on social media, Talisay Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. accused Roger Cimafranca of asking P4 million supposedly in exchange for the radioman’s withdrawal from the mayoralty race.

Gullas said Cimafranca, of dyRB online radio, allegedly asked initially for P500,000, which went up to P1.5 million and then to P4 million.

Cimafranca and his companion, identified as alias Joselito, were arrested by agents of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in a mall in Barangay Lawaan II on Thursday afternoon.

The suspects were collared after they allegedly received P204,000 in marked money during the entrapment.

Cases of robbery extortion would be filed against the suspects, police said.