Multimillion peso slum scam bared

Police are after a Navotas rice trader for swindling gullible residents of depressed communities in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces in a mutlimillion peso scam disguised as "tulong sa mahirap."

Caloocan City police chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele issued a warning yesterday to the public to be wary of this scam which could have already victimized hundreds of thousands considering the extent of the firm’s alleged areas of operation.

Some 32 victims, all residents of Barangay Bagong Silang, Calocan City, told police they have been duped by Robert Sarmiento, alleged owner of Robert General Merchandising (RGM), residing at Phase 2-A Area 1, 34-C, Lot 22 Paraluman Village, North Bay Boulevard (South), Navotas.

Marites de los Santos, speaking in behalf of the group, told probers they intend to file charges against RGM officials Brenda Balbas, 28, single, RGM treasurer; Jocelyn Esquivel, 29, supervisor; and assistant supervisor Nicodemo Rallon, 37, all of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City.

The complainants said that the RGM offices were padlocked and Sarmiento could be in hiding.

They charged that since collections on May 16, only 1,000 got their rice. They charged that RGM collected P1.5 million from 3,320 members in Bagong Silang, the biggest barangay in the country with a population of about 200,000. Delos Santos said the first batch paid P15 as membership fees. The next 1,500 members paid P200 each. – Jerry Botial