Act on fake, bogus complaints, SC urged

THE Supreme Court is being asked to clamp down on the practice of some prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) who are colluding with others in entertaining bogus complainants and fake complaints so they can extort money from their victims.

Monalie Dizon, secretary general of the Coalition Against Corruption (CAC) and the Kilusang Pagbabago National Movement for Change, submitted last September 2, a 5-pages letter to the office of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo particularly detailing one such incident at the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office involving Deputy City Prosecutor Ria Niña Sususco and Assistant City Prosecutor Lilia Elizabeth Hinanay-Escusa.

The letter, signed by Atty. Baltazar Beltran, alleged that ACP Escusa approved the filing last February 13, 2025, of a falsified complaint for rape and illegal detention against a Taiwanese business locator at the Subic Free Port.

Beltran is the counsel for Lacsina Ann Sinlao 39, and her daughter, ‘Jenny,’ 17, from the Aeta tribe in Morong, Bataan.

Mother and daughter were allegedly used by a Subic-based “syndicate” as bogus complainants in the criminal information against the businessman whom the group allegedly targeted for blackmail amounting to P50 million, Dizon said.

“The falsification is aggravated by the fact that my clients categorically deny ever authorizing, consenting to, or even being aware of the preparation and filing of said complaint,” Beltran told Gesmundo.

Dizon said they were encouraged to seek the SC’s intervention after Gesmundo was interviewed by the media last April. In that interview, the Chief Magistrate precisely cautioned court officials and the public to be wary of fake complaints and fake complainants.

Last March, Sinlao personally went to the Olongapo OCP with Beltran to deny that she and her daughter were present on February 13 to verify their complaint against the Taiwanese and to confront Escusa.

However, DCP Sususco allegedly covered up for her colleague and ignored Sinlao’s denial. Sususco also allegedly said a resolution adverse against the businessman is already under preparation.

A day earlier, however, Sususco allegedly assured they would first send a summon to the businessman to air his side on the issue before a decision is made.

This prompted Beltran and Atty. Lovensky Fernandez, counsel for the intended victim, to lodge a protest before Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon.

Fadullon then ordered the transfer of venue for the preliminary investigation, which was subsequently moved to the Cabanatuan City Prosecutor’s Office in Nueva Ecija.

“The facts lead to no other reasonable conclusion: Prosecutors Sususco and Hinanay-Escusa appear to be in cahoots with the syndicate that fabricated the complaint, falsified the signatures of a minor and her mother, and exploited them in a bogus case designed solely for extortion,” Beltran further told the Chief Justice.

Sususco, Escusa and 9 other individuals allegedly comprising the Subic-based syndicate are now the subject of a complaint for kidnapping, human trafficking, child abuse and robbery with violence and intimidation filed last August 29 by Sinlao before the Olongapo OCP.

On the same day, Olongapo City Chief Prosecutor Charlie Lim Yap immediately inhibited his office from investigating the complaint due to clear conflict of interest and turned over the matter to the office of PG Fadullon.