Priest-turned-doc, wife arrested

BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines  - A priest-turned-doctor and his wife were arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in separate operations in Negros Occidental recently for alleged large-scale illegal recruitment and estafa.

The CIDG identified the suspects as Dr. Nilo Justalero, 50, of Iloilo City, and his wife, Liza, 33, of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

The two were arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court-branch 91 Judge Lita Tolentino Genilo of the National Capital Judicial Region in Quezon City,

CIDG-Negros Occidental head, Chief Insp. Ray Cuanico, said Justalero was arrested at the Municipal Health Office in Calatrava town, Negros Occidental, where he works, while his wife was apprehended at her house in Newtown Subdivision, Brgy. 1 of San Carlos City.

Cuanico said the judge had denied bail to the two accused.

CIDG records showed the couple allegedly recruited several residents in General Mariano Trias town in Cavite and promised them jobs as caregivers in London.

A YouTube video presentation also showed that the couple allegedly duped several residents at the Governors Hills Subdivision in that Cavite town.

The couple allegedly asked for P25,000 in placement fees from each recruit. Most of their victims reportedly belong to poor families who borrowed money to pay the fees, the CIDG report showed.

Cuanico said they were informed by a concerned citizen that the couple has an arrest warrant so he sent one of his personnel to Quezon City to get the arrest warrants and serve these to the couple.

Further investigation revealed that Justalero was a former priest assigned to the Bacolod Diocese.

Monsignor Victorino Rivas, Vicar General of the Bacolod Diocese, said Justalero was asked to take a break and settle his personal problems at the time, but he failed to return to the diocese.