THE Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) filed charges on Monday, April 21, 2022, against a Chinese national accused of robbery by extortion.
The suspect, a 37-year-old male Chinese national, allegedly demanded P20,000 from another Chinese national, a 55-year-old male.
MCPO spokesperson Mercy Villaro said the suspect threatened the complainant with a fabricated arrest, claiming there was a pending warrant against him.
Knowing that he had no case, the complainant grew concerned that there might be another charge falsely filed under his name and decided to report the extortion attempt to the MCPO.
“He made the victim believe that they had a case, even though the victim knew they didn’t have one,” said Villaro.
On Saturday, April 19, the MCPO, in coordination with the City Intelligence Unit, conducted an entrapment operation at a tea house along Mantawi Drive, Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City.
The suspect was arrested after he received the marked money during the illicit transaction.
According to the police, this is the first time they have encountered a case of this nature, which is why they exercised extra caution during the filing process.
The case was referred to an assigned prosecutor, who determined that it could fall under estafa, specifically under Article 513 of the Revised Penal Code.
The complaint was officially filed at the Prosecutor’s Office under this classification, along with an additional complaint for falsification of documents.
In total, two complaints were filed before the Prosecutor’s Office.
Villaro also said this is the first recorded case of robbery by extortion involving a foreign national in the city this year, as such incidents are not common in Mandaue.
Initial background checks showed that the suspect had no prior criminal record.
However, police are continuing to monitor the case to determine if there are other possible victims.
Villaro said they have also coordinated with the Chinese embassy regarding the incident. / CAV