CEBU CITY — Authorities arrested a mayoral aspirant and his alleged cohort for allegedly extorting P4 million from the mayor of Talisay City, south Cebu.
Roger Cimafranca, 44, and a candidate for mayor of Talisay City in next year’s election, did not resist arrest during an entrapment operation held inside a mall in Barangay Lawaan 2, Talisay City on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 28.
Also arrested by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the local police was Cimafranca’s companion, Joselito Dullano, 37.
Cimafranca, the lone opponent of Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas in the 2025 elections, was accused by the local chief executive of demanding P4 million so he would withdraw his candidacy for mayor and so that he would not release issues that would destroy his reputation.
Gullas said he immediately sought the assistance of CIDG to arrest the suspect.
Cimafranca, who works as a radio blocktimer, denied Gullas’ accusations.
The suspect claimed he had no record of demanding money.
Instead, Cimafranca said people allied with Gullas had offered him money so he would withdraw his candidacy.
“I did not ask for any amount. To be honest, I asked for nothing. They were the ones who offered,” he said in an interview.
In his affidavit, Gullas said Cimafranca threatened and blackmailed him so he would give P4 million.
This prompted the CIDG Cebu City Field Unit and the Talisay City Police Station to carry out the entrapment operation at around 2:30 p.m.
The suspects and the people tasked with handing over the money agreed to meet at a coffee shop inside a mall in Barangay Lawaan 2, Talisay City.
An envelope containing P10,000 and P199,000 in boodle money was handed over.
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When the suspects accepted the money, they were immediately arrested.
They were brought to the CIDG-Central Visayas office where they were detained pending the filing of robbery-extortion charges against them.