PIKIT, Cotabato—A dismissed soldier was caught in an entrapment operation extorting money from this town’s mayor.
Major Maxim Peralta, Pikit police chief, said Ryan Calayan Maborrang, 33, of Barangay Gen. Luna, Carmen town, Cotabato was extorting P50,000 cash from Pikit Mayor Sumulong Sultan supposedly in exchange for police operations against his political opponents.
He said Maborrang introduced himself to the mayor as Colonel Joel Limson, deputy police director for Region 12.
Sultan had sought the help of Peralta for an entrapment operation.
“This guy was good at extorting money, his voice sounds like that of Colonel Limson, who I know personally,” Peralta said.
The supposed payoff area was at Fort Pikit, located at the back of the town hall.
Maborrang was arrested after he received the boodle money composed of fake bills from a police undercover agent. He was unarmed but insisted he was Colonel Limson.
Maborrang is now detained at the Pikit police lock-up cell while extortion charges are being prepared against him.
Peralta said Maborrang was also a suspect in similar extortion activities in Cagayan de Oro City and other towns of Cotabato province.