By Danny J. Estacio
STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna – Two men eager to earn extra money from gullible electoral candidates were nabbed by police here Monday.
Authorities identified the alleged conmen as Jerome Trinos, 40, and Paul Mark Umlas, 37. According to complainant, Cesar Canog Hernandez, 62, a barangay chairman aspirant, the two offered him the support of the whole Iglesia Ni Cristo congregation for P500,000 Sensing he was being duped, Hernandez quickly coordinated with police who then arranged an entrapment operation.
Trinos and Umlas were caught in a restaurant here in the act of receiving marked money from Hernandez. Apart from robbery-extortion, Umlas will also be facing additional charges for gun possession after he was found to have been carrying a caliber .45 with six live ammunitions during the payoff.