Call center agent cum model recruiter nabbed in QC

A 55-years-old call center agent moonlighting as model recruiter was collared in an entrapment operations conducted by operatives of the Quezon City Police District on Wednesday.

QCPD director P/BGen. Redrico Maranan identified the suspect as Eric Maño, a resident of Sampaloc, Manila.

Maranan said Maño, way back in 2019, lured his victim through a Facebook account, promising a substantial income from a photoshoot. Subsequently, the suspect took the victim to a hotel, fulfilling the agreed-upon arrangement. However, the suspect failed to provide the promised payment and blocked the victim as well.

It was further revealed that on 20 September 2023, the victim received SMS messages encouraging her to become a model for underwear and swimwear but she disregarded them. On 15 December 2023, the suspect used a Viber account named Skyline GTR bearing mobile numbers 09159732511 and 09230831270 to coerce and threaten the victim to meet up with him in exchange for deleting the sensitive photos and videos from their previous photoshoot.

The suspect threaten further of exposing the content to the victim's family, relatives, and co-workers if she refused. This prompted the victim to report the incident to the QCDP on 23 December 2023.

Acting promptly, QCPD personnel conducted an entrapment operation at 2:04 p.m. in front of SOGO Hotel in Quezon Avenue cor. Don A. Roces Avenue in Quezon City, resulting in the apprehension of the suspect.

Seized items include one black Amazon tablet, a navy blue cellular phone, assorted IDs, and one piece of one hundred peso bill.

The suspect was charged with violation of Article 286 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), otherwise known as grave coercion; RA 9995, or Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism, and RA 11313, or Safe Spaces Act, all in relation to Section 6 of the RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Maranan commended the QCPD personnel for their swift response to the victim's concern which led to the arrest of the suspect.

"I urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities, reinforcing our commitment in ensuring the safety and security of the community," the police chief said.