Sotto sues lawyer who bought his car

MANILA, Philippines - Dangerous Drugs Board chairman Vicente Sotto II filed estafa charges yesterday against a “lawyer” who duped him of more than P2.5 million when he bought Sotto’s BMW X5 (XRE-792) two years ago, then reneged on the last two mortgage payments in August and September 2008.

In a three-page affidavit filed before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office, Sotto filed estafa charges against Rico Roque Alpapara. He also filed a complaint before the Highway Patrol Group.

Alpapara, who introduced himself as a lawyer, bought the vehicle through a deed of conditional sale with assumption of mortgage. The deed of absolute sale will only be issued once the remaining amortization of P2.2 million is settled with the bank.

Sotto said that from May 2007 to July 2008, Alpapara’s personal checks of P120,426 a month were good but the last two checks were drawn against insufficient funds.

He said Alpapara could no longer be contacted through his cell phone and last known addresses.

He said he had the matter recorded in a police blotter at the Quezon City Police District, where he learned he is not Alpapara’s only victim. – Michael Punongbayan