Three suspects posing as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) were arrested over the weekend during an attempted extortion at a food store located in Aseana City, Parañaque, the NBI said Sunday.
The suspects were apprehended around 3:00 a.m. on Saturday when they entered an establishment, claiming to be NBI agents. They presented a fraudulent search warrant, alleging that the store was selling illegal tobacco and cigarettes.
The NBI said the posers threatened the store’s cashier and demanded that the store owner pay ₱100,000.00 to avoid legal penalties for selling illegal tobacco products.
While the suspects dismantled the store’s CCTV cameras, Aseana security guards noticed the commotion and intervened. Upon verification, it was learned they were not legitimate NBI agents and apprehended them.
Policemen from the nearby Tambo sub-station responded to the scene. They found evidence of the suspects’ fraud, including a fake search warrant.
Lawyer Joseph Eufemio Martinez, Deputy Chief of Staff from the NBI National Capital Region personally denied the arrested suspects were members of the agency.
The same suspects also previously attempted extortion at a spa in Parañaque City on September 1, 2024, where they also posed as NBI agents and threatened the business owner.
The suspects are now facing complaints for robbery (extortion), usurpation of authority, malicious mischief, grave threat, and falsification of documents.
