‘Bogus’ QC gov’t men arrested for extortion

Two men pretending to be Quezon City Hall employees were arrested Friday afternoon for allegedly trying to extort money from the management of a gas station.

John Francis Aguilar, 22, of Tondo, Manila; and Bernardino Buhay, 33, of Barangay Damayan, Quezon City were apprehended around 1:10 p.m. at Phoenix gasoline station on Roosevelt Avenue.

PO3 Jonathan Bustarde of the Quezon City Police District’s Masambong police station said both men posed as employees of the city’s Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department and tried to extort money in exchange for the quick release of permits.

Aguilar also allegedly used an identification card with the name of Ted Michael Cruz, who police said was a certified employee of  the EPWMD.

The suspects will be charged with robbery extortion and misrepresentation.

The suspects allegedly went to the gas station around 4:30 p.m. Thursday and introduced themselves as EPWMD employees.

Speedy renewal for P6,000

They reportedly asked accounting staff member Carolina Rayos why the gas station still operates even though its permit had not been renewed.

Bustarde said the suspects offered to expedite the renewal of the permit for P6,000.

Aguilar and Buhay threatened not to process the permit when the woman refused, prompting Rayos to seek police assistance.

A QCPD team set a trap for the suspects, during which Rayos agreed to meet the suspects.

After receiving the money at the gas station, the suspects were arrested and brought to the police station, where the real Ted Michael Cruz showed up.