"Notorious" budol-budol gang leader arrested

CEBU, Philippines - Presence of mind and vigilance of an ordinary worker saved the day.

Christian Suarez, a service crewmember of a bakeshop inside a popular mall, had seen one week ago a 68-year-old woman victimized by a budol-budol gang, her half a million worth of jewelry lost to swindlers.

Shortly before noon yesterday, Suarez noticed the same modus operandi being done on a 78-year-old woman. The suspect looked familiar, so he called the police.

A team from the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) led by SPO1 Jeffrey Diola rushed to the mall at the North Reclamation Area in Mabolo, Cebu City and arrested four alleged members of a “budol-budol” gang.

It was not until they were at the police station that the 78-year-old woman realized that she was about to be duped. Suarez’s call to the police had saved her from becoming a victim.

The woman, who requested not to be named, told reporters yesterday that she was strolling at an uptown department store when she was approached by a woman later identified as Nimfa Franco, 60, the alleged leader of the gang.

Franco, of General Santos City, has been arrested several times for similar incidents. This time, Franco introduced herself as a citizen of Malaysia and inquired where she could buy lamb meat.

The victim entertained her queries until Franco asked where she could also purchase a certain chemical. At this point, another woman, who was later identified as Melanie Santiago, 36, of Caloocan City, pretended to overhear their conversation and said she knew where to buy the chemical. In her desire to help, the victim drove Franco and Santiago to the mall at the North Reclamation Area where the chemical could be bought.

It was still lunch break when they arrived at the store so they decided to eat first at another mall situated across the place.

Sr. Insp Bonifacio Garciano, chief of the TRS, said that there where two women waiting inside the mall to help carry out the modus operandi. The two were later identified as Mary Tumulak, 59, of Zamboanga Del Sur and Mary Ann Torres, 39, of Zamboanga Del Norte.

It was at this point when Suarez saw the suspects, and remembering what he had witnessed the week before, he called the police.

Charges against the suspects, who are now detained at the CCPO detention cell, are being prepared. They refused to comment on their arrest, except for Franco who said that it is her way of livelihood. — THE FREEMAN