Suspects in P10 million face shield scam face raps

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Police District (MPD) has filed criminal charges against the owner of a hotel, an executive of a construction firm, and several others over a P10.2-million face shield scam.

A complaint for violation of Republic Act 9711 or the Food and Drugs Act and syndicated estafa was filed against Ziggy Roces, owner of Orchids Garden Suites in Malate; Enrico Monzon Jr., owner of Monzon Builders Development Corp., and his brother Zacari, both of Bankers Village, Caloocan, as well as Joanna Marie Mendoza, John Michael Antonio, Wilson Valdez and Gonzales Lacsina before the city prosecutor’s office.

Maj. Joey de Ocampo, chief of the MPD theft and robbery section, said Juanario Aquino, allegedly the source of the face shields, and a bank manager, are also being investigated.

At least five victims of the scam showed up at the police headquarters to file a complaint, including a barangay chairman in Quezon City who reportedly lost P5 million to the group.

Last week, couple Raymund and Vivien Manzanares, Krizia Allen Cay Mercurio, 32, Monzon’s secretary, and bank employee Christine Pitiquen, 33, were apprehended during an operation at the hotel.

The arrest of the suspects stemmed from the complaint of Vanessa Abajo, of Malasiqui, Pangasinan, who alleged that the group duped her into paying for 50,000 face shields.

The suspects failed to deliver the face shields.

Abajo said she met the suspects on Facebook, who offered face shields reportedly imported from China that she could sell.

Police said it was Aquino who received the money from the victims and deposited the cash to a bank in Eastwood.

The bank manager is under probe for allegedly allowing the P10.2-million deposit, which is in violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, according to police.

The Manzanares couple denied that they were Monzon’s facilitators, saying they were also victims of the scam.