Online extortion syndicate busted

By Nestor Etolle, The Philippine Star

A 28-year-old scion of a well-to-do family and two Marine reservists, allegedly members of a well-entrenched online extortion syndicate, were nabbed by intelligence operatives in an entrapment operation in Malate, Manila last Wednesday night.

Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong presented yesterday the suspects identified as Jose Monico Tanseco, the gang’s operator, of San Juan; and Junius Loderico, 25, of Navotas, and Rey Leyretana, 36, of Quezon City, both Marine reservists.

Tanseco later identified a Manila policeman, a certain SPO4 Mar Cuaresma, as the leader of the gang, according to Chief Inspector Joselito Sta. Teresa, chief of the MPD’s District Police Intelligence Unit and the leader of the arresting team.

Bulaong said the modus operandi of the gang was to look for rich individuals on the Internet, chat and make friends with them online before offering business deals. They later extort large amounts of cash from them through intimidation.

Several police badges, identification cards, a caliber .38 revolver with ammunition and marked money worth P100,000 were recovered from the suspects.

Authorities also recovered a Honda CRV (XNG-545) belonging to victim Ryan Ty, 29, a businessman, of Binondo, Manila, during a follow-up operation in Potrero, Malabon.

Police said Ty and his brother sought police assistance after Tanseco started to harass them unless they come up with P2 million.

The harassment started when Ty personally met Tanseco after communicating on the Internet.

The victim said Tanseco, who introduced himself as a Marine officer, handed him a caliber .38 revolver and threatened him with illegal possession of a firearm unless he comes up with P2 million.

Fearing arrest, Ty agreed to pay, but settled to do so by installment at P50,000 a week.

The victim also surrendered his Honda CRV as initial payment.

After cooperating with police, Ty and his brother contacted Tanseco for the payment of an additional P100,000.

Tanseco, together with the Marine reservists, were nabbed by authorities along Quirino Avenue near San Andres after receiving the marked money from the Ty brothers.

The two Marine reservists denied knowledge of Tanseco’s illegal operation. They said Tanseco only sought their assistance to be able to collect the payment for a loan.

The reservists said Tanseco personally came to Fort Bonifacio for assistance and was even introduced to them by ranking officers at the camp.

Charges of car theft, robbery extortion and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition were filed against the three suspects.

Police launched a manhunt against the gang’s leader.