Superintendent Napoleon Cuaton, Station Investigation and Detective Management Bureau (SIDMB) chief, identified the suspect as Amelito Silva, 46, a paint mixer and resident of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City.
Silva was arrested by operatives on a complaint lodged by Liberty Baligaya, 38, of Tullahan Road, Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan City, owner of a blue Mitsubishi Adventure (XCE-723) "stolen" by Silva, police said.
Records showed Silva, together with friend Franco Oliveros, convinced Baligaya, a former neighbor and friend, last Wednesday to lease them her SUV, promising to return it within the day.
After five days, Baligaya, worried she had been duped, reported the loss of her vehicle to authorities.
At 2 a.m. yesterday, operatives nabbed Silva at the Pagcor’s Casino Filipino at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) while playing baccarat.
Under investigation, Silva denied he was a car thief.
"Kinapos lang po ako. Hindi ako carnapper," Silva pleaded.
Silva told probers he lost P1,800 at the casino last Thursday, but had no more cash so he pawned Baligaya’s AUV for P30,000 to a financier and agreed to pay the sum of P42,000 for the borrowed amount within the day.
Apparently, he lost most of it.
He was trying to recover his losses until his arrest early yesterday morning.