NBI-7 files estafa case vs woman

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation-7 has filed a criminal complaint before the Mandaue City Prosecutor’s Office against a woman who claimed to be an owner of a memorial lot located at the Queen City Memorial Gardens in the North Reclamation Area.

The NBI sued Sonia Base, a resident of Door 4 Lim Compound, Maracas, Lahug, Cebu City, for estafa based on the investigation conducted by supervising agent Renan Oliva.

Investigation disclosed that in the first week of November 2011, Base offered to sell the memorial lot she alleged was given by her aunt, late Buenaventura Galan, to her to Manuelito Navarro, a resident of Palms Hills Subdivision, Basak, Mandaue City.

Base offered to sell two lots for P85,000 each.

Navarro said they conducted an ocular inspection and Base showed them the two vacant lots located near the tombstone of Galan.

Navarro said he bought the memorial lot because he trusted Base, since she was the mother-in-law of his daughter. He added he only bought one vacant lot for lack of funds.

After he paid the P85,000, he said Base gave him a notarized Deed of Sale of the memorial lot sometime in 2012.

However, when they went to the Queen City Memorial Gardens for the burial preparations of their father who died on December 7, 2014, they found out that the lot was not owned by Base.

“Certification issued by Paul Delantar, officer-in-charge of the Queen City memorial Gardens Corporation showed that the true owner of Lot No. 12-BD-3434 is Buenaventura Galan and not the subject,” the document reads.

Navarro said despite numerous demands, Base failed to return their money. Thus, he sought the assistance of the NBI.

Base is set to answer the allegations filed against her.  (FREEMAN)