Pagadian City cops uncover new extortion scheme

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?&sid=6&pfn=913524&arch=1&go=Go&search_arch=Pagadian%20City,%20Zamboanga%20del%20Sur&andor=and&mdte_arch=8&ddte_arch=0&ydte_arch=2016

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Aug. 13 (PNA) – Police have warned the public against a new extortion scheme being perpetrated by “gun for hires” through phone calls and text messages.

Senior Supt. Glenn Dulawan, assistant police provincial director for operations, on Saturday issued the warning after they have uncovered the new extortion scheme victimizing businessmen and other individuals in this province.

Dulawan said the modus operandi of the group was to threaten the victim to give in to demands through the use of mobile phone.

At first, Dulawan said, the extortionists would call or send text message introducing themselves as gun for hires and informed the victim that they were already paid 50 percent of the contracted amount to kill him or her.

He said they would then negotiate or demand the victim to settle the remaining 50 percent of the contracted amount in exchange of sparing the victim’s life.

He said the victim would then be instructed to send the payment through money transfer making it difficult for the authorities to conduct entrapment operation.

He advised the public not to be worried once they received call or text message from an unidentified people, citing the scheme was purely extortion.

He said they should immediately report to police once they received call or text message threatening them.

Dulawan said they were already conducting investigation in a bid to unmask the people behind the new extortion scheme victimizing innocent people. (PNA)

RMA/TPGJR/Hirohito D. Cadion