Fake Interpol agents arrested in Palayan

PALAYAN CITY—Three men claiming to be officers of the International Police Organization (Interpol) were arrested by the Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) when it raided their alleged headquarters in Marcos Village here on Thursday morning (Oct. 26).

Brothers Jessie and Rustico de Guzman and Bryan Cabanlong were caught in possession of high-powered weapons at their bungalow, which hosted a conference room and a working office in Sitio (subvillage) Hilltop, said Chief Insp. Francis Aldrich Garcia, CIDG Nueva Ecija director.

Jessie, 46, had claimed to carry the rank of brigadier general, and was carrying an M16 Armalite rifle, several rounds of bullets and an allegedly fake Interpol identification card.

Rustico, 41, was caught with a 12-gauge shotgun while Cabanlong, 21, had two magazines and 38 bullets for an M16 rifle.

Garcia said the raid was conducted on the strength of a warrant issued by the regional trial court following complaints that the group had been swindling people into purchasing Interpol ID cards for as much as P3,500, depending on the preferred rank.

Interpol is not a law enforcement agency, serving instead as a network of cooperation among police organizations of various countries.

The suspects refused to comment, and are now facing charges for possessing unlicensed weapons and for usurpation of authority. /jpv