A worker at Ninoy Aquino International Airport posing as immigration officer has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a sex-for-flight extortion attempt.
Benedict Larcibal, 29, was arrested by National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Human Trafficking Division in a Pasay City motel in an entrapment operation after he allegedly asked a woman for sex in exchange for clearing her travel documentation.
The victim, a woman who was offloaded from her flight to Singapore, was reportedly approached by Larcibal who identified himself as an immigration officer. He offered, for P35,000, to remove the remarks on the woman’s papers indicating that she was barred from flying due to questionable documents.
“Continuous yung calls niya, communicate niya na ine-explain niya ‘yung pag-proseso. Nagbigay na siya ng price na P35,000 para ma-clear na ‘yung lahat, para makaalis na kami,” the victim said.
However, Larcibal changed his demands and added sexual intercourse with the victim in addition to the monetary exchange.
“Hindi ba kita pwedeng masolo and mahihirapan na ko kung next week kasi mapapatungan na yung ibang records mahihirapan na call me para ma-explain ko ulit ng maayos,” read one of Larcibal’s text messages to the victim.
Most of the victims of such modus operandi are reportedly those who fail to obtain clearance from the Bureau of Immigration and are offloaded from their flights due to a number of reasons such as presenting questionable documents.
Upon his arrest, Larcibal denied the agreement was made, despite authorities catching him posessing the P10,000 marked money.
Larcibal has been charged with robbery extortion and usurpation of authority.
The NBI will conduct a digital forensic examination on Larcibal’s phone to find out his co-conspirators.