NBI arrests fake SC official

MANILA, Philippines — Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a man for allegedly impersonating a Supreme Court (SC) official and offering to help a businesswoman in exchange for P450,000.

According to a statement released by the SC yesterday, agents of the NBI-Special Action Unit (SAU) arrested Mark Jasper Reyes, who uses the alias Mark Gil Cloma de Guzman, for allegedly impersonating Jed Sherwin Uy, SC deputy clerk of court and chief technology officer.

Reyes was arrested in an entrapment operation in Parañaque on Aug. 20.

The NBI filed charges of estafa, computer-related identity theft, multiple counts of computer-related forgery, violation of the Anti-Alias Law and usurpation of authority against Reyes before the Parañaque prosecutor’s office.

The arrest was made after Uy and Christine Chung dela Rosa filed a complaint before the bureau.

In her complaint, Dela Rosa claimed that on Aug. 8, Reyes contacted her through Facebook and reportedly posed as Uy. Reyes discussed issues concerning a decision of the Court of Appeals in a case involving her late father and bragged about his government connections.

Upon learning that Dela Rosa is the president and chief executive officer of the Dela Rosa Construction and Development Corp., Reyes allegedly offered to help facilitate accreditation for her firm in exchange for P450,000.

Dela Rosa said she was able to confirm that Reyes was not the real SC official and sought the help of the NBI on Aug. 18.

Uy,who heads the SC’s management info mation systems office, also personally appeared before the NBI-SAU and executed an affidavit denying any involvement and to clear his name.

He also informed SAU that the suspect allegedly victimized a lawyer-doctor and a mayor in Palawan and in Lamitan, Basilan, respectively.

SC spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka expressed the court’s appreciation to the NBI for its swift action on the matter.