NBI nabs fake labor lawyer

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday afternoon apprehended a 37-year-old man who allegedly posed as a lawyer in settlement cases pending before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and his accomplice during an entrapment operation in Manila.

Head Agent Roland Argabioso, chief of the NBI-Field Operations Division (FOD), said they caught Robert Consultado, 37, of Acacia, Malabon City, and Richard Lagria, 35, of Pandacan, Manila.

A third suspect, Lourdes Galendo, remains at large.

Galendo reportedly acted as the secretary at Consultado’s fake law firm called Cecilio Duko Law Office, located at Room 304 Victoria Building on 11th Avenue in Grace Park, Caloocan City.

Argabioso said they set up the entrapment operation after the real Cecilio Duko, a lawyer and resident of Angono, Rizal, showed up at their NBI office.

Initial investigation showed that Consultado would introduce himself as “Attorney Cecilio Duko” and would often represent employees embroiled in legal disputes with their employers before the NLRC.

Once the case is settled, the suspects would reportedly get 50 percent of their client’s earnings. Consultado has reportedly been engaged in this activity since March.

Duko and a colleague went to the NBI office after learning that someone had been using his name. There, they met the suspect’s latest client, bus driver Renante Berondo, and arranged an entrapment operation.

At 2:30 p.m. last Aug. 24, Berondo met Consultado and Lagria at a fastfood store located at the corner of España Avenue and M. dela Fuente street in Sampaloc, Manila. Berondo introduced the suspects to an NBI agent who pretended to be a bus driver with a legal dispute with his employer.

The agent gave Consultado a marked P500 bill after consulting with him on a legal matter. Lawmen then approached the suspects and arrested them.

The suspects have been charged with misrepresentation or usurpation of authority before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office.  – Evelyn Macairan