THE Supreme Court on Thursday was urged to clamp down on the practice of some prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) who are in collusion with bogus complainants to extort money from their intended victims.

In a five-page letter of complaint, dated Sept. 2, 2025, to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, lawyer Baltazar Beltran detailed one such incident at the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office (OCP) involving his clients Lacsina Ann Sinlao, 39, and her minor daughter, who are members of the Aeta tribe in Morong, Bataan.

Supreme Court urged to act on fake complaints

Beltran alleged that Assistant City Prosecutor Lilia Elizabeth Hinanay-Escusa approved the filing last Feb. 13, 2025, of a falsified complaint for rape and illegal detention against a Taiwanese business locator at the Subic Free Port.

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, the lawyer 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’s letter read.

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

However, Beltran claimed that Deputy City Prosecutor Ria Niña Sususco covered up for her colleague and ignored Sinlao’s denial, and stated that a resolution against the businessman is already being prepared.

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

Supreme Court urged to act on fake complaints

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

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

“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 told the chief justice.

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

On the same day, Olongapo City Chief Prosecutor Charlie Lim Yap inhibited himself and turned over the matter to the office of Fadullon., This news data comes from:http://raaa-nu-qns-ok.redcanaco.com