Fake court employee nabbed for extortion

MANILA, Philippines — A 67-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posing as an employee of a Caloocan City court and extorting money for fake foreign travel documents.

Ruben Bonifacio Gabagat, a resident of Silang town in Cavite, was caught in an entrapment operation after he demanded P200,000 from a client. He is now in the custody of the Northern Police District (NPD).

Gabagat’s client paid him an initial P5,000 using marked money, resulting in his arrest.

Police recovered from him a marriage contract, an Apostille document and copies of a decision and an entry of judgment from an unidentified court in Caloocan City, which were all found to be falsified.

Gabagat faces charges of estafa through falsification by private individual and falsification of public documents, the NPD said.