Lim padlocks illegal money changers in Manila

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim yesterday led city officials in closing down 26 illegal money changers for failure to secure the necessary permit and license to operate their business.

Lim, accompanied by key city officials, raised and spray-painted with the words: “This establishment is ordered closed and signed by the Manila City Hall,” the illegal money changers.

Ordered closed by virtue of a Sept. 29 order of Secretary to the Mayor lawyer Rafaelito Garayblas from Mabini were: Rahma A. Bungkac/Rahma Money Changer; Frederick A. Carreon/Kkrystel Gift Shop & Foreign Exchange Buyer; Fatima B. Alpha/Heva Money Changer; Belina Cancio/Nikko Mart and Fharniza S. Hashim/Fharniza Hasmin Money Changer; Jocelyn Materum/Penny Worth Money Changer; Isabel C. Alkuran; Nina T. Sakaluran/Aloathani Money Changer; Baby Quiros and Amina Sahra A. Aynin/Aynin Money Changer; Nurjina Dabbang Saradi/LFI-2 Money Changer of P. Faura; Angelina de la Cruz/Jocelyn de la Cruz Babe’s Money changer of Sta. Monica; Ruana A. David/ABVB Money Changer of Madre Ignacia, Malate; Lilian C. Gonzales/Sunnet Money Changer of P. Gil corner Adriatico; Fitri-Khan A. Ambutong/O Hara Money Changer of Adriatico; Sitti Yahiya/Shynnz Money Changer of Plaza Nuestro Sra. de Guia of Ermita; HJI Maulaha A. Sakaluran/Fharniza Money Changer of Padre Faura; Nurulins S. Abdurarahman/Zayed Breead & Coffee Haus of MH del Pilar; Magdalena G. Nabehhet/ Sea Front Foreign Exchange of A. Mabini; Sharief P. Sainal-Sahraf Foreign Exchange Dealer of A. Mabini; Ebhara A. Yusop/Izahr Money Changer of P. Faura; Maritess Soriano/Dan Loi Money Changer of Arquiza; HJA Nadia Hassiman Ampalan/Nadia Wizza Money Changer; and Rasdy M. Muallamin/AiraMoney Changer of M.H. del Pilar and Madsque A. Abdulatip/Mad Sky Money Changer of M.H. del Pilar.

In a statement, Lim warned those who would continue their illegal activities.

“Dupe the public and you will have to face me,” warned Lim.

Lim was assisted by Garayblas and his assistant lawyer Romeo Cairme, permits bureau chief Nelson Alivio, City Hall Police Office chief Senior Superintendent Alex Gutierrez and department of public services chief retired Col. Carlos Baltazar as he swooped down on, among others, M.H. del Pilar, Padre Faura and Mabini in Malate.

The move came after Lim received complaints of tourists and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) being gypped of their hard-earned money by the said fly-by-night money changers.

Lim, a policeman for a good number of years, said the mode of operation of said unscrupulous money changers consist of various ways of shortchanging those who want their foreign currencies converted into pesos.