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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 2 persons claiming to be NBI intelligence agents arrested for 'extortion'

2 persons claiming to be NBI intelligence agents arrested for 'extortion'

Published Nov 7, 2025 11:21 am  |  Updated Nov 7, 2025 03:12 pm
Two persons, who claimed to be members of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) Intelligence Service, have been arrested in Manila for allegedly extorting P33,000 weekly from a company engaged in the importation of goods.
In a statement, the NBI identified those arrested as Ramil B. Bautista alias “Eddie Cruz” and Audwin A. Flores alias “Barry.”
It said that verification showed that Flores is a job order (contractual) employee of the bureau while Bautista was a former job order employee whose contract had expired.
With their arrest, they were charged before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office for robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons by way of extortion under Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and usurpation of authority under the RPC.
Bautista was also charged with using a fictitious name and concealing true name under Article 178 of the RPC.
During the entrapment operation, seized from Flores were the transaction money amounting to P33,0000, an NBI wallet badge, several NBI identification cards, and a mobile phone, the NBI said.
Also found in possession of Bautista were four cellular phones and several identification cards under his name.
At the same time, the NBI said that included in the complaint was a certain Max Araneta Santos who remains at large for robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons by extortion under the RPC.
It said it acted on the complaint of the company which reported that it received a call from a person identifying himself as Max Araneta Santos from NBI Intelligence Services.
It also said that Santos alleged warned that the “company was included in a list of importers with misdeclarations and that their warehouse would be subjected to a law enforcement raid unless they ‘cooperated.’”
It added that “on Oct. 29, 2025, ‘Eddie Cruz’ demanded P33,000 weekly for 66 shipment containers to be handed over at a coffee shop in Malate, Manila, to ensure the safety of her company's warehouses from law enforcement raids and for non-interference in the company's import activities.”
With the information, the NBI said it hatched an entrapment operation that led to the arrest of the two suspects.
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