Criminal charges slapped against ‘sextortionist’

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A barber facing sextortion raps did what he thought could save him from criminal prosecution.

There was an instance that he banged his head on the floor. He also shed tears. He even knelt in front of his former girlfriend-turned-accuser.

But things still proceeded as destined: Francisco Boteja Jr., 36, a resident of Barangay Pamuringao Proper, Cabatuan, Iloilo was charged for allegedly extorting his former lover.

Major Jess Baylon, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Iloilo City field unit chief, said they filed a string of criminal charges against Boteja Wednesday before the Iloilo City Prosecutors Office.

The charges included robbery extortion, grave threats, and grave coercion.

Baylon said Boteja offered an alibi for his actions against his former girlfriend.

“What he’s been saying are not true. He was not framed up. He did what he was accused of,” Baylon said.

Not once, he added, that the complainant showed doubts in pursuing the cases against Bojeta.

Boteja was arrested in an entrapment operation afternoon of April 5, 2022 inside a motel at Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Members of the CIDG – Iloilo City, together with Mandurriao Police Station, caught Boteja and the 35-year-old complainant naked as the suspect demanded “break-up sex,” on top of his monetary demands.

The woman, who had long been separated from her husband, sought their help almost a month ago after Boteja, her boyfriend of four years, threatened to make her nude photos and their sex videos go viral on social media.

In fact, Boteja was able to send some of the photos and videos to her family and her estranged husband’s relatives.

The suspect initially demanded P1 million and threatened to kill her and her family.

“That’s allegedly for everything that he spent in the course of their 4-year relationship,” Baylon said.

When the woman said she could not raise such amount, Boteja’s demand went down to P500,000.

Again, the woman claimed she had no such cash at her disposal. They later agreed at P100,000.

During their meeting where the entrapment operation happened, the woman gave an initial P50,000 and agree to the break-up sex.

Police operatives seized from Boteja two P500 marked bills, P12,000 boodle money, a mobile phone, two identification cards, and an official receipt.