4 fall in 'holdup me' case

MANILA, Philippines - A messenger of a money changer shop reported that he was robbed of P950,000 he had withdrawn from a bank in Antipolo City, but police arrested him and his three alleged cohorts because the robbery turned out to be a case of “holdup me.”

The messenger, Lloyd Immaculata, 29, confessed to the crime and led elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to his cohorts, Eugene Depidida, 26; Joker Geraldez, 27; and Paolo Krisoffer Agcaoili, 27, who yielded P837,000 of their loot.

CIDG chief Director Leon Nilo de la Cruz said the four are now in jail and are facing charges of qualified theft.

De la Cruz said the complainant, Carlos Garcia, owner of the money changer shop, asked Immaculata to withdraw P950,000 from the bank last Wednesday afternoon.

But Immaculata later called up Garcia informing him that two armed men robbed him.

At the barangay hall where Immaculata reported the supposed incident, he broke down and confessed that he was not held up but instead agreed with his cohorts to the “holdup me” scheme. A police operation was then promptly laid out.