2 ‘fake’ CIDG agents nabbed in Aurora

MANILA, Philippines—Two “fake” Criminal Investigation and Detection Group agents were arrested in Aurora Province Wednesday after allegedly using the name of CIDG director for their extortion activities, an official said Thursday.

CIDG chief, Police Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said nabbed were William Frondozo, 22, and Albert Laquian, 41, both residents of Barangay (village) Mijares, Dipaculao in the province.

The suspects, Central Luzon CIDG chief Senior Superintendent Rudy Lacadin said, were arrested around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in an entrapment in Maria Aurora Public Market.

The sting operation was laid out following the complaint of Yusof Nazer and Ceferina Sultan, stall owners in the market. They said that a group of men were allegedly “demanding extortion money from each stall” and were introducing themselves as CIDG agents.

Arresting team leader Police Chief Inspector Herryl Bruno quoted the complainants as saying that the demand ranges from P500 to P1,000 per week,

The suspects were previously reported conducting checkpoints in the area and extorting money from motorists.

“After they were arrested by the real CIDG operatives, [the suspects] showed the arresting team a fake ID of the CIDG,” Bruno said.

According to the suspects, a certain “Boss Apo” from Nueva Ecija is the leader of the syndicate—a robbery-extortion group using the name of Pagdilao and the already defunct CIDG’s Task Force Maverick.

CIDG said Pagdilao and Senior Superintendent Rhodel Sermonia, the former chief of the defunct TF Maverick, both denied “any knowledge to the illegal activities.”

The two suspects have been detained at Maria Aurora Police while awaiting the filing of Usurpation of Authority and Robbery Extortion charges, CIDG said. Jamie Marie Elona