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Bacolod City, Philippines Saturday, February 25, 2012
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PNP airs warning
versus swindlers

BY ADRIAN NEMES III

The head of the Bacolod City Police Special Operations Group, Supt. Santiago Rapiz, warned the public again yesterday against swindlers victimizing relatives of overseas Filipino workers, after a retired teacher was duped by a man who posed as an Ambassador and took her P195,000 in cash.

The complainant, 69, of Brgy. 1, Bacolod, whose name the police withheld, said she received a call from a man who introduced himself as “Ambassador Go” on Monday.

She said the man told her that her nephew, who is working as a nurse in London, collapsed inside an airplane after its arrival at Subic Bay in Pampanga.

She added that “Ambassador Go” gave her the cellular phone number of a certain “Atty. Lazarte” for information on the medical bulletin of her nephew, who, he claimed was confined in a hospital in Metro Manila. He also instructed her send money through LBC.

The complainant sent P92,000 to the account of a certain “Mr. Felix” and P33,000 to a certain “Mr. Palacat” on Tuesday. She also sent P70,000 to the bank account of a certain “Mr. Lazarte” on Tuesday, police records showed.

After the transactions were through, the victim tried contacting the number of “Ambassador Go” but it could no longer be reached, police records also showed.

Last month, a Bacoleño also received a call from a man informing him that his brother, who works as a seaman, had an accident in Hongkong, and needs financial assistance but he later learned that his brother is in Belgium and was in good condition.

Rapiz said relatives of OFWs who receive similar calls should not believe them right away but should call their relatives to verify, before sending any money.

He also advised them to coordinate with the police immediately, so an entrapment operation could be set up.

He said this is being used by a syndicated group with at least three members and are not operating in Bacolod.*APN

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