A 26-year-old woman was arrested in Marikina City for extorting and threatening her aunt’s life, with the victim unaware that the suspect was her niece.

The Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) identified the suspect as “Maria.” She was arrested during an entrapment operation following the complaint of a businesswoman who said she received death threats.

On Feb. 3, authorities conducted the operation, which shocked the victim when she discovered that the suspect was her niece.

According to the victim, she received threatening messages claiming that someone had hired the sender to kill her but would abandon the plan if she gave them money.

“May nare-receive daw siyang [victim] threatening messages doon sa messenger account niya na nagsasabing may nag-hire daw doon sa kausap niya na ipapatay po siya at kailangan niya raw magbigay ng P100,000 para hindi po ito ituloy (The victim said she was receiving threatening messages on her Messenger account, claiming that someone had hired the sender to kill her and that she needed to pay ₱100,000 for them not to go through with it),” PNP-ACG spokesperson Lt. Wallen Mae Arancillo said.

“According sa investigation, pera lang po talaga ang kailangan niya dun since itong victim ay businesswoman, medyo may kaya sa buhay. 'Yun ang naging puntirya ng pamangkin niya—makakuha ng pera na P100,000 sa victim (The suspect was only after money. Since the victim is a businesswoman and financially well-off, her niece targeted her to extort P100,000),” Arancillo added.

She said the investigation revealed this was the suspect's first offense, and she appeared unfamiliar with such criminal activities.

Maria will be facing complaints for grave coercion, grave threat, and robbery with intimidation of a person in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.