Syndicates use minors to rob foreigners

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Intelligence Division (RID) in Central Visayas is tracking down members of three syndicates in Cebu that employ minors to rob foreign nationals in the city.

Supt. Rex Derilo, deputy chief of the RID said incidents involving minors victimizing foreign national have increased this year.

The members of these syndicates are aware that there is a law protecting minors from getting jailed even after committing a crime.

“That is our problem in law enforcement.  Arrested minors are only endorsed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and then, they are released,” Derilo lamented.

In yesterday monthly Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) forum, Derilo presented statistics  showing that from January to July this year, incidents involving foreigners have 313 from last year’s 234.

The top three cases are theft with 87 foreigners victimized; vehicular accidents, 39; and robbery, 31.

 Intelligence personnel of the different police offices have been instructed to intensify their monitoring against the people behind these syndicates as the cases involving foreigners have affected the tourism industry.

But Derilo also revealed that there are some unscrupulous foreigners who make up stories that they were victims of robbery.

“They have this modus wherein they report at the police station that they were victimized by our locals and only for the police to find out that they only wanted to obtain police reports so they can claim insurance when they return to their respective countries,” Derilo disclosed.

He said this issue was raised by the Lapu-lapu City Police Office, whose jurisdiction is a known tourist hub, in a recent command conference.

”We were alarmed because there were a number of complaints reported to our police stations but they don’t go back after obtaining police reports,” Derilo claimed.

Derilo said they  warned police investigators not to easily issue police reports to foreigners claiming to be robbery victims.

“They have to investigate first, dig deeper before they issue police reports to them,” said Derilo.

Supt. Audie Villacin, chief of Police Community Relations of PRO 7, said this has become a lucrative business for the foreigners especially those who lost huge amount in casinos.  (FREEMAN)