Bernie Anabo Jr.
The message from the National Bureau of Investigation is loud, clear and uncompromising:
DON’T USE THE NBI NAME TO EXTORT MONEY.
Two individuals allegedly masquerading as NBI agents and reportedly collecting weekly “payola” or protection money from cockfighting operators in Rizal, Laguna and Batangas have been arrested in an operation led by the NBI–National Capital Region (NBI-NCR).
And this is exactly the kind of operation that shows why the NBI must remain relentless against individuals who abuse the name, authority and reputation of government law enforcement.
At the center of the operation is NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag, whose leadership comes at a critical time when criminals and opportunists continue to exploit the names of government agencies to intimidate ordinary citizens and businesses.
Under Matibag’s watch, the NBI is sending a powerful warning:
THE NBI IS NOT A BUSINESS.
THE NBI IS NOT FOR SALE.
AND THE NBI NAME CANNOT BE USED AS A SHIELD FOR EXTORTION.
FAKE AGENTS, REAL FEAR
According to reports, the suspects allegedly approached operators of cockfighting establishments and demanded regular payments in exchange for a promise that their businesses would supposedly be spared from raids or investigations.
Refuse to pay, and the alleged threats would begin.
Arrest.
Exposure.
Being paraded before the NBI.
That alleged modus is not merely an attempt to collect money. It is an assault on public trust.
Because when criminals falsely wear the identity of law enforcement officers, they do more than victimize individuals—they drag the reputation of the entire institution into the mud.
That is why the arrest matters.
DONGALLO: NO ROOM FOR IMPOSTORS
The operation also puts the spotlight on NBI-NCR Regional Director Atty. Emeterio Dongallo Jr., whose command continues to demonstrate that the capital region will not become a playground for impostors hiding behind the NBI name.
The alleged suspects reportedly took advantage of legitimate government enforcement activities involving betting machines without proper BIR seals, using actual operations as a backdrop for their alleged extortion scheme.
Brilliant deception—until the NBI came knocking.
The alleged scheme may have depended on fear, but the NBI answered that fear with investigation, intelligence and enforcement.
PAYOLA? NOT UNDER THE NBI WATCH!
There is something particularly disturbing about the alleged scheme.
The suspects allegedly did not simply ask for money.
They allegedly sold protection.
Pay us—and supposedly you will not be raided.
Pay us—and supposedly you will not be investigated.
Pay us—or face the consequences.
That is the language of organized extortion, not legitimate law enforcement.
And this is precisely why the NBI’s action deserves public recognition.
The agency did not allow impostors to continue weaponizing its name.
It moved.
It investigated.
It arrested.
And it prepared charges.
THE REAL NBI VS. THE PRETENDERS
The contrast could not be clearer.
The fake agents allegedly demanded money.
The real NBI gathered evidence.
The fake agents allegedly used threats.
The real NBI used the law.
The fake agents allegedly traded on the fear of a raid.
The real NBI conducted the operation that ended their alleged racket.
That is the difference between criminals pretending to represent government and legitimate law enforcement doing its job.
ROBBERY EXTORTION. USURPATION OF AUTHORITY.
The suspects were reportedly slapped with complaints for Robbery Extortion and Usurpation of Authority, putting their alleged conduct squarely under legal scrutiny.
The charges will now undergo the appropriate legal process, and the suspects remain entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence.
But the broader warning from this operation is already unmistakable:
The NBI will not tolerate anyone exploiting its name for personal gain.
MATIBAG AND DONGALLO: SEND THE MESSAGE
Director Atty. Melvin Matibag and NBI-NCR Regional Director Atty. Emeterio Dongallo Jr. deserve the spotlight for an operation that protects not only potential victims but also the credibility of the NBI itself.
A law-enforcement agency lives and dies by public confidence.
Every fake badge, every false claim of authority and every alleged extortion attempt committed under the NBI name threatens that confidence.
So the response must be decisive.
Hunt them down.
Expose them.
Arrest them.
Prosecute them.
And make sure the public knows the difference between the real NBI and those who merely pretend to be part of it.
Because when criminals wear the name of the NBI, they are not just stealing money.
THEY ARE STEALING PUBLIC TRUST.
And under the leadership of Atty. Melvin Matibag, with Atty. Emeterio Dongallo Jr. leading the NBI-NCR, the message from the bureau could not be more explosive:
YOU CAN PRETEND TO BE AN NBI AGENT.
BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM THE REAL NBI.
