Two fake newsmen arrested for extortion 

By December 10, 2017News, Peace and Order

LINGAYEN–Two men claiming to be media men were arrested by the police on Dec. 3 in an entrapment operation after they demanded protection money from two owners of a mini-carnival in Barangay Dulag, Lingayen.

Arrested in the act of receiving P2,000 marked money were Gil Ferrer, 61, who introduced himself as a columnist of tabloid newspaper “Frontier” of Kaypia, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan; and Ryan Yves Fortin, 47, the alleged publisher.

The police said the suspects approached and attempted to extort cash from Warren Ramirez, 40, of Payar, Malasiqui; and Sonny dela Vega, 47, of Barangay Dulag on Dec. 2 in return for not exposing their alleged illegal activities in their newspaper and not reprting them to a high ranking official in Camp Crame.

Dela Vega said the two had been returning with threats to report negatively about them and had pressured them to pay up to avoid being written about.

Nakailang balik na sila di ko na mabilang, ang pinakamataas na naibigay ko nasa P5,000 minsan P2,000 tuwing punta nila nanakot sila dahil media daw sila,” Dela Vega said.

The two said they had no money to give the suspects last December 2 but asked them to return the next day.

Knowing that their operation is legitimate, having secured a permit from the barangay council of Dulag to operate a mini-carnival during the Dulag Barangay Fiesta, Ramirez and De la Vega decided to report the extort try to the police.

When the suspects returned December 3 in the afternoon, an entrapment had been set by joint operatives of the Lingayen Police Station and the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office.

The suspects were promptly handcuffed by police operatives after receiving the marked money. Also seized from the alleged extortionists were various ID’s, a handheld radio, a digicam, a wig and motorcycle.

Subsequent police investigation revealed that the two suspects’ newspaper is a fly- by- night paper and they have three other accomplices victimizing carnival operators in the region.

The two were charged with robbery with extortion before the Municipal Trial Court in Lingayen. (Leonardo Micua/Nora Dominguez)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments