CIDG busts syndicate victimizing pensioners

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) have arrested three suspected members of a swindling syndicate victimizing members of the Social Security System (SSS) by posing as pensioners and withdrawing their money.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Jess Verzosa said they nabbed Floro Corpin, who posed as pensioner Eugenio Cosme Cruz as well as his cohorts Ermita Camasis and Adelaida Osit.

They will be charged with falsification of public documents and estafa.

The modus operandi of the group was discovered after the suspects’ ATM card got stuck in the machine while trying to withdraw P250,000 from the Philippine National Bank branch near the Quezon Memorial Circle.

Verzosa said that the PNB security force immediately informed the CIDG of the suspicious transaction being made by the suspects, which prompted the unit to dispatch a team led by Superintendent Benjamin de los Santos of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Division (CIDD).

Investigators said PNB officials had been monitoring the transactions being made by the suspects, who were able to withdraw P500,000 last Jan. 4 using the same modus operandi.

Police, however, failed to explain how the suspects managed to withdraw such an amount of money from the ATM.

The CIDG is also looking at the possible involvement of SSS employees in the racket after learning that the suspects had complete identification cards for pension claimants.

During interrogation, Corpin said it was his first time to get involved in the racket and that he was promised P20,000 for the job. His two cohorts denied being part of any syndicate.