Iloilo resident charged for sextortion in Capiz

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – A man from Sara, Iloilo is facing a string of “sextortion” charges after his arrest in an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Capiz.

According to Agent John Katipunan, Executive Officer of NBI-Capiz, charges for violation of Republic Act Nos. 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children), 9995 (Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism, Sextortion) and Grave Threat were filed against Jay-R Cataluña of Sara, Iloilo before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office Tuesday afternoon.

A woman (name withheld), sought the help of NBI-Capiz after Cataluña, who is her estranged live-in partner, threatened to spread their private videos and her nude photos if she refuses to have sexual intercourse with him.

The two were employees of a microfinance company in Sara, Iloilo and they began their relationship in 2019.

But their relationship was on the rocks after she learned that Cataluña was married to another woman and they have a child.

Cataluña’s threats led to depression and anxiety on the woman’s part.

The entrapment operation happened in a resort in Pontevedra. The agents seized Cataluña’s cellphone where the sex videos were stored.

Meanwhile, Cataluña denied the accusation and pointed out that the videos were taken with her consent.

He said that he did not force the victim to have sex with him and that they both consented to their intimate moments.

But he admitted to being married to another woman.