Travel agency owners, employees charged over booking scam

MANILA, Philippines — Criminal charges have been filed against the owners and employees of a travel agency for allegedly duping their clients, police announced on Friday.

Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director, said Fulham Road Travel Agency employees Rogelyn Remedio, Ma. Elena Airene Posadas, Ma. Gladys Nicole Precilla, Charlie Lao-As and Kenneth Precilla were apprehended when police raided the travel agency on Thursday afternoon.

The QCPD said it has launched a manhunt for the travel agency’s owners, identified as Mark Wayne Chuck and Cacharel Celine Collings Chuck.

Police referred criminal complaints of syndicated estafa against the suspects before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office. Additional cases of falsification and using a fictitious name will be filed against Remedio and Posadas for using falsified documents in processing the documents of their customers.

The operation was based on the complaints of several people who claimed they were scammed by the travel agency.

Among them were five persons who booked a trip to Boracay Island for P88,968.

However, Maranan said the victims learned they were duped after their vacation plans set on Jan. 18 did not materialize.

Acting on their complaint, lawmen from the QCPD Station 9 raided the travel agency.

Maranan urged the public to verify the background of private companies they are dealing with before shelling out money.