NBI nabs BI ‘fixer’ for extortion

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested an alleged “fixer” in the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for allegedly extorting P150,000 from a Frenchman’s Filipina fiancée, who reportedly failed to purchase a return ticket.

Rea Belarmino was charged with robbery-extortion and violating the anti-red tape law before the Manila prosecutor’s office on Friday, NBI deputy director for intelligence services Reynaldo Esmeralda said.

In her affidavit, Melanie Raymuno said she met Belarmino after her fiance Jean Marc Lucien Thenot was held at the BI office upon his arrival last Oct. 14.

Raymundo said Belarmino approached her and claimed she can work for Thenot’s release in exchange for P150,000 due to her “big-time” connections at the BI.