Victimizing 2,000 Negrenses 8 “con men” charged with large-scale estafa

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Eight suspected “con men” allegedly victimizing at least 2,000 Negrenses, mostly teachers, were arrested Saturday and charged with large-scale estafa, police said the other day.

Superintendent Santiago Rapiz, head of the Special Operations Task Group of the Bacolod City Police Office, said charges were filed at the City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday against the eight for violation of Revised Penal Code Article 168 or “illegal possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit.”

The suspects, reportedly members of the Voice of Global Solutions on Poverty Association, Inc. (VGSPAI), were  Altres De Dios, 33, who claims to be the president and chief executive officer of the group and a resident of Subic in Zambales; Eustaquio Mejo Jr., 38, vice president for treasury and from Olongapo City; and their members Gregorio Deslate Jr., 61; Lina Deslate, 58; Jesus Montales, 61; Lucero Dolores, 61; and Carmela Umadhay, 42, all of Iloilo City; and Vicenta Garcia, 59, of Cagayan.

A “con man” is a term for “confidence man” or a swindler who exploits the confidence of his victims.

Senior Supt. Ricardo Dela Paz, BCPO director, said the suspects were arrested in Barangay Alijis in the city over the weekend following the complaints of eight residents here. The victims complained that they were promised instant cash returns for investments made to the group.

De Dios allegedly told their victims that he will be proclaimed “prince of the country” while their chairman will be proclaimed “king of the country” during rites on December 23 this year, along with the appointment of President Benigno Aquino III as prime minister of the country.

The victims claimed that the suspects made them believe that with their investment of at least P2,000, they will receive P10 million after the supposed proclamation rites, said Rapiz.

The complainants claimed further that the suspects told them that, after paying P2,000, they will each be given a checkbook and P2 million will be deposited in their accounts after December 23. Rapiz said, adding that the suspects boasted they have at least 32,000 members all over the country.

One of the victims said she has already shelled out close to P400,000 to the syndicate. During the entrapment operations, police recovered from the suspects P30,000 in marked money, 135 stubs of false treasury bank notes and tarpaulin.

De la Paz said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas confirmed that the checkbooks of the suspects were not registered in said bank.

De Dios, for his part, clarified that their group is not involved in a scam, insisting that they are also victims. He said they were invited to Bacolod for the reelection of their officers when they were arrested. (FREEMAN)