Woman faces raps for fake P1-million rob claim

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) warned the public yesterday against filing fraudulent complaints as it filed perjury charges against a woman who allegedly faked a robbery involving the loss of P1 million.

Some persons file fake robbery charges to secure a police report for insurance claims or escape liability for the money they lost in gambling, according to Chief Inspector Edgardo Carpio, MPD theft and robbery section chief.

Carpio said Maricel Saribong, 30, who introduced herself as a technical grounds operation officer of Saudia Airlines, went to the MPD headquarters on Sept. 11 to report the loss of P850,000, $300, a cell phone worth P19,000 and personal documents to two knife-wielding robbers.

In her complaint, Saribong said she withdrew P850,000 from the Maybank Paco branch to purchase a second-hand Mitsubishi Pajero. She said that when she boarded a taxi, two armed men flanked her and grabbed her bag containing the money. She said she was brought to Quiapo, where the two suspects got off.

Carpio said Saribong insisted on immediately securing a police report. Carpio tasked a police team led by SPO2 Jose Toledo Jr. to verify Saribong’s statement.

Toledo found out that the bank where Saribong withdrew money had been closed since Aug. 15, and that Saribong was not an employee of Saudia Airlines.

Perjury charges were filed yesterday against Saribong.

Carpio said his men are investigating two more robbery complaints. One involves a Mindanao woman who claimed she was robbed of P13 million worth of jewelry along Arranque street in Sta. Cruz, while another reported she was robbed of nearly P1 million in Ermita. Both reports were found to be false, he said.