Swindlers choose river plunge over arrest

CEBU, Philippines - Afraid of being caught by the police after victimizing an old man, two alleged swindlers preferred to plunge into the Argao River with their motorcycle early morning yesterday after a brief chase in Barangay Canbanwa, Argao town.

One suspect, a woman, was rescued from the river but did not make it alive to the Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital in Argao, while her male companion is still missing until now.

Police found pawnshop receipts under the name of a certain Zenaida Gil, however they have yet to verify if that was the real name of the female suspect as there were no other identification cards found on her.

Police received the alarm via hand-held radio from barangay officials of Barangay Mompeller, a mountain barangay of the town, around 9a.m. after Nomeriano Albiso, 86, was allegedly victimized by the suspects.

The suspects reportedly took Albiso’s P1,800 cash which he kept in his house.

A team led by SPO4 Esteban Albuera proceeded to the area and were given the description of a man wearing a black jacket and a woman wearing a red jacket on board a black Honda XRM motorcycle without plate number with a raincoat placed in front.

Police saw a motorcycle with the same description in Barangay Usmad but they did not pay much attention at first as the man was wearing a T-shirt and the woman was wearing a blue blouse.

“Nasugatan nila pero dili na mao ang description ang naka-caught sa ilang attention kay ang raincoat man sa atubangan ug kanang dunay sanga nga gibutang sa likod para dili kaayo pisik,” Argao police chief Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos said in a interview.

Police realized their error, doubled back and chased the two until Barangay Canbanwa. The two then made a left turn without knowing they were heading to a dead end portion of the road which led to the river.

Albuera earlier radioed the police station for a roadblock in San Miguel Street, but the other team did not arrive on time.

“Gitawag na sila sa pulis nga pa-surrenderon pero wala lang gihapon basin tungod sa katarantar nanglayat na lang sa sapa,” Batobalonos said.

The current was strong because of the incessant rain these past few days, the two were carried away by the strong current.

Police followed the river and found the woman near the Argao National High School. They also recovered the motorcycle and a black beltbag containing a sphygmomanometer, a stethoscope, three bottles containing tablets and pawnshop receipts.

“Possible nga dili ni taga-ngari kay walay nakaila nilang duha,” Batobalonos said.

Modus Operandi

Batobalonos said that the two posed as medical practitioners and targeted residents in the mountain barangays.

According to Albiso, Batobalonos said the man went to his house and asked if he could have a glass of water and started telling him they were related.

“Namaryente pud kuno unya gikuhaan siya og BP (blood pressure),” the police chief said.

The man then claimed that Albiso has high blood pressure and offered him some medicines. This prompted Albiso to go to the cornfield and ask his wife for some money to buy the medicines, but when they returned, swindlers were nowhere to be found and his money was gone.

At least five victims have appeared at the police station and positively identified the woman as one of the two who also swindled them.

One of the victims, Manuel Sarno, 70, was just discharged from the ICKMH after he almost died from a heart attack after he was swindled P23,000 last Saturday.

Aside from the five victims, police are expecting that more complainants will go to the police station starting today.  (FREEMAN)