Man pretends to be “nurse,” arrested

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation-7 arrested on Wednesday a thief who has been pretending to be a nurse in hospitals in the city.

Assistant Regional Director Dominador Cimafranca said Raymond Lequin, 31, a resident of Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City, was arrested during an entrapment operation at the Visayas Community Medical Center.

Prior to Lequin’s arrest, Cimafranca said their agents conducted surveillance against him after a complaint for theft was filed before their office.

“Lequin pretended to be an interested buyer of high-end cellphones and laptops posted in OLX.PH, an online shopping,” he said, adding that during the transactions, he introduces himself as a nurse assigned at the Emergency Room of hospitals like Chong Hua Hospital, VCMC, Vicente Sotto Medical Center and Cebu Velez General Hospital.

Cimafranca said the meeting usually occurred in the hospitals where Lequin pretended to work.

“Inig kuha niya sa gadget iyang i-test if mugana ba then musud siya sa Emergency Room sa hospital dayun mogawas sa exit. So tanang transactions niya wala gyuy bayad,” he added.

During the police interrogation, Cimafranca said Lequin told them that he engaged in the said illegal activity for less than two months after he lost his job as a caregiver.

On Wednesday, Lequin was arrested and presented to the management of VCMC which confirmed that he was not a staff member of the hospital. The motorcycle of Lequin, which he allegedly used as a gateway vehicle, was also recovered.

Cimafranca advised operators of online shops not to trust online buyers especially on the first meeting.

NBI-7 is expecting 15 people to execute affidavits against Lequin.

Lequin admitted to the media the accusations against him, adding that he sold the items he got for P9,000 to P10,000.

Gigi Quilo, one of the complainants, told the media that on October 22, 2014, Lequin identified himself as Ryan Enriquez and asked her if the cellphone she posted online is still available, which she confirmed.

She said it was her husband who met with Lequin in VCMC the next day.

Quilo said she is determined to push through with the case against Lequin.

A representative of Sacred Heart Hospital also went to the NBI after Lequin reportedly entered one of their rooms and stole P2,000 cash and a cellphone of one of their patients.

Meanwhile, Fuente Police Station chief Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu said he will call for an emergency meeting with the security officers of the hospitals in his area of responsibility to implement appropriate security measures against people who pretend to be hospital personnel.

 He also raised the security concern of emergency rooms in hospitals, adding his plan to coordinate with security officers about the protocols when entering such facilities.

 He said though that this incident may not be considered as a result of security lapse since no one expected Lequin to pretend to be one of the personnel of the hospital. But Tiu emphasized the need to tighten security in these facilities.

 All nurses, he said, should be required to wear their official IDs for security control when entering hospital premises.

He also encourages the public to be security-conscious at all times especially when transacting with people they have recently met online.

 Tiu further advised those who are into social media to secure their accounts and keep their personal information as private as possible.

 He further reminded the public to be vigilant and careful amid the Holiday season.  (FREEMAN)