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Friday, August 19, 2005
Suspected extortionist caught
By Aquiles Zonio
Police nabbed in an entrapment operation a suspected extortionist believed to be responsible in sending cakes containing gadgets for improvised bomb to a bank official Wednesday afternoon.
Senior Superintendent Alfredo Toroctocon, city police director, identified the suspect as a certain Ronald Grumacon, 22, a permanent resident of Magsaysay, Digos City in Davao Del Sur but temporarily residing at Block 9 Lot 11 Gensanville Subdivision Phase 2.
The police also nabbed a 10-year-old boy allegedly used as conduit by the suspect.
Toroctocon claimed that around 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, officials and employees of Banco De Oro received a cake from unknown sender.
The city police chief further bared that the cake was followed by a phone call from an unidentified male caller introducing himself as member of the Abu Sayyaf operating in the hinterland of Palimbang town, Sultan Kudarat.
The bank official, who asked not to be named, told the police that the caller was demanding P3 million protection money, otherwise a bomb would explode in the establishment.
The caller reportedly warned that the cake contained explosive which was set to explode anytime.
The suspect further instructed the bank official to place the money in an envelope and leave it at the vacant lot near a fastfood store ocated along Santiago Boulevard.
The bank management called up the police to report the incident.
Members of the explosive ordnance disposal team proceeded to Banco De Oro to check the report.
Members of the police's bomb squad were able to recover a cellular phone casing with attached electrical wiring embedded on the cake.
The gadgets were brought to the PNP Crime laboratory for examination.
After learning that the caller gave instruction to the bank official where to deliver the money, the police launched an entrapment operation.
Around 3:30 p.m. on the same day, a boy arrived to get the money left at the designated meeting place.
Immediately, the boy walked toward another fastfood just a stone's throw away from where he got the envelope.
Police operatives immediately swarmed on him.
The suspect and the boy were brought to the city police command for tactical interrogation.
During tactical interrogation, the suspect claimed he was just ordered by a certain Ruel Bernal, an alleged medical representative acting as leader of the extortion group.
The arrested suspect further disclosed that Bernal's wife is his cousin and he was staying at the couple's residence in Gensanville Subdivision.
The police had already launched a manhunt operation against Bernal and his group.
The police were suspecting that Bernal and his group were just using the name of the Abu Sayyaf to scare their target victims.
Toroctocon warned the security forces of various establishments here not to receive any gift from unknown senders.
Banks here have imposed a ban on bringing mobile phones inside the banks as part of security precautions.
(August 16, 2005 issue)
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