Woman loses money to swindler at CH

CEBU, Philippines - A woman lost her money to a swindler who pretended to be an employee of the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) last Tuesday afternoon.

Fe Gaihe Bontilao, 47, lost the P3,500 that was supposedly for her land tax.

The victim, a resident of Talamban, told the police that she went to City Hall at 1 pm when the suspect approached her, introduced himself as an employee of CTO, and volunteered to process her papers in exchange for some amount.

Bontila said that after she handed her tax payment over to the man, the suspect told her to have her Tax Declaration Papers photocopied, as the CTO requires the same. The man was no longer around when she returned.

She then immediately reported the incident to the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS).

Chief Insp. Bonifacio Garciano, head of TRS, said the CCTV camera installed near the area was able to capture the incident, however, the face of the suspect was reportedly not visible.

Bontilao described the man to be about 5’7” tall, chubby, and dark-skinned.

Garciano called on the public to be extra cautious and not to trust anyone easily, particularly at the CTO where many fixers loiter.

Meanwhile, a construction firm that is renovating the second floor of UCPB-F. Ramos Branch in Barangay Cogon-Ramos lost a copper wire worth a P60,000 last Tuesday. Noel Benito, project manager of Covenant Construction, said the copper wire was placed at the second floor of the building.

Benito said Rodelito Acero, 32, an electrician and stay-in worker of the building, said the wire was discovered missing around 6pm. He suspected that one of the workers was also the culprit.

“Dili taga-gawas ang nagkawat ana kay naa baya’y mga gwardya gabantay sa gawas sa banko nya naa pa ju’y mga trabahante, mga Tagalog-speaking, puro stay-in,” Garciano said.

The TRS chief said they have already gone through the names of the employees, including the security guards, and will place them under investigation.

Security in the building is being provided by Ultra Security Services Inc. — (FREEMAN)