A man accused of sextortion was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after allegedly coercing a woman into having sex in exchange for not releasing an intimate video of them.
NBI director Jaime B. Santiago identified the suspect as Billy Rose Dela Cruz, who was apprehended in Ermita.
According to a complaint, the victim dated Dela Cruz while they were in Macau. Dela Cruz allegedly recorded their sexual activity without her consent.
After he returned to the Philippines, he reportedly became obsessed with the victim and sent the videos to her co-workers, causing her to resign out of shame.
He later threatened to send the footage to her family and friends unless she met him for another sexual encounter.
The victim agreed to meet Dela Cruz at a hotel in Ermita on Wednesday but had already sought help from the NBI, which set up an entrapment operation. Agents entered the hotel room, arrested Dela Cruz and rescued the victim. They also seized his iPhone, which contained the illicit material.
Dela Cruz was presented for inquest before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office for violations of several laws, including the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 and the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.
Santiago urged the public to immediately report sextortion incidents to the NBI, assuring that the agency is ready to take swift action.