Romanian accused of ATM fraud posts bail

CEBU, Philippines - The Romanian national who was arrested in Cebu for illegally withdrawing money from foreigners’ bank accounts was released from detention after posting bail.

Georghe Adelin Stretcu, 32, posted last week the recommended P20,000 bail for violation of Section 9, paragraph (e) of Republic Act 8484, otherwise known as the Access Devices Regulation Act.

Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Soliver Peras then issued the release order for Stretcu’s temporary liberty.

The case was raffled to RTC Branch 9 in Cebu City.

Stretcu was arrested inside a mall on September 20 by operatives of the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office.

Police Officer 3 Alvin Jacalan and PO3 Jason Ruiz of CIB alleged that in the afternoon of September 20, they were instructed to go to a mall in the city where a foreign national was allegedly “acting suspiciously.”

Therein, they reportedly observed the foreign national, who was later identified as Stretcu, moved from one automated teller machine to another and withdrew cash using a pale green 7-Eleven reward card.

“Puzzled and suspicious, we approached the suspect and politely invited him to the office for further interview. Inside the office of CIB, CCPO, it was confirmed that the suspect’s name is Mr. Georghe Adelin Stretcu, 32, married, a Romanian National and working allegedly as an Economist in Romania Airport…,” read the joint affidavit.

Jacalan and Ruiz had said that before they started asking Stretcu about the reward card, the latter surrendered three bundles of cards with PIN written on a small piece of paper taped on each card.

The suspect told the police that their victims were only Europeans and that each card contained about P20,000 and can be used once.

Stretcu had alleged that the crime was committed in the Philippines as it has one of the weakest ATM security features in the world. This has been denied by the Cebu Bankers Association. — (FREEMAN)