Phony PAF officer arrested at military man’s wake
LINGAYEN—The military uniform worn sloppily by an impostor gave him away.
As family and friends of the late Marine Private First Class Jeffrey Castillo in Barangay Maniboc were mourning his death in the Zamboanga siege, a man posing as a lieutenant colonel of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) came to the wake for still an unknown reason only to find himself arrested for being an impostor.
Police elements here nabbed Michael Sajonas, 43, married, formerly from San Juan, Metro Manila and presently residing in Barangay Dulag, Binmaley.
Lawmen later found that the suspect has several standing arrest warrants from different courts, including for a case of large scale illegal recruitment with no bail recommended issued by Judge Manuel Aquino, Regional Trial Court Branch 34 in Balaoan, La Union, two estafa cases in Dagupan City and another in San Fernando City, La Union.
Sajonas went to the wake Wednesday afternoon and introduced himself as a lieutenant colonel of the Air Force to the group of Major General Romeo Tanalgo, Armed Forces of the Philippines commandant, Philippine Marines Corps, who was around at that time.
Tanalgo, sensing Sajonas’s awkward and suspicious disposition with the way he wore the gala uniform, alerted the local police.
Sajonas was brought to the Lingayen Police Station for investigation and during the inquiry, he failed to present any identification card to prove that he is a member of PAF nor establish his specific unit/assignment.
The police filed a case of usurpation of authority at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against the suspect who is now detained at the Lingayen Police Station jail.
Meanwhile, Castillo’s body was buried Thursday at the municipal cemetery here.–Eva Visperas
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