5 nabbed for selling party-list nomination

NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested five persons for attempting to gyp a prospective victim of millions of pesos in exchange for a promise of a nomination as representative of party-list groups.

Joel Correras Pelo, Mary Anne Fujiwera, Maria Elizabeth Pabalan, Fudenciano Malinao, and Wenceslao Malinao were apprehended in an entrapment operation.

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A sketchy NBI report showed that the five suspects were selling the nomination at the Buhay party-list for P10 million to P15 million, with a P1 million initial deposit.

Buhay party-list is being represented by Rene Velarde, son of El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde.

According to an unnamed complainant, the suspects claimed their nominations will be processed by a certain Cheryl Barcelona, who they said was the party-list group's coordinator.

While not completely believing the story, the complainant went along with the suspects.

Unknown to the five, the complainant alerted the NBI about their meeting at the Century Park Sheraton in Malate, Manila.

As soon as the suspects got hold of the P1-million boodle money, the NBI agents swooped down on them and arrested them.

It was not immediately known what charges will be filed against the suspects. (ECV/Sunnex)