MMDA employee held for sextortion

MANILA, Philippines — An employee of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was arrested in Manila on Tuesday for alleged sextortion.

Michael Jay Manansala, 25, who works as a computer operator at the MMDA’s accounting department, was apprehended by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) along Pedro Gill street in front of Saint Paul University at around 11:30 a.m.

Col. Randy Glenn Silvio, who heads the CIDG’s National Capital Region field office, said they arrested Manansala following a complaint from a 21-year-old woman who told probers the suspect demanded money in exchange for not uploading her nude photographs to social media platforms.

“She was threatened by the suspect that her nude photos and videos will be downloaded to different sites unless she gives him money,” Silvio said in a text message.

Manansala was collared after he accepted the marked money from the victim. He is being held at the CIDG headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City on charges of robbery extortion.