Friday, November 16, 2007 Teacher in visa scam yet to answer charges By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
A TEACHER of the Philippine Public Safety College who was accused of duping three women in a US visa scam asked for an extension to submit his counter affidavit before the City Prosecutor's Office.
Jay Bacarenas Zambrano, 31, of Farland Extension in Dumoy, Toril, who was charged with violation of Republic Act 8042, otherwise known as the Migrants Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995, and three counts of estafa appealed for another 15 days, after the 10-day period given by Prosecutor Stella Esparagoza-Camino for him to file his answer to the charges expired on Wednesday.
"I will resolve the case the moment (the respondent) files his counter-affidavit, and the National Bureau of Investigation's reply," Esparagoza-Camino told Sun.Star Davao.
The respondent was charged based on the complaint filed by Grace Cardenas Letecia Sierra and Judith Paccial who accused Zambrano of extorting money from them, amounting to P1,320,000.
In a joint affidavit of complaint, they said that sometime in 2006, the respondent recruited them to work in United States that will also grant them immigrant status because he has so many contacts in the US.
They did as Zambrano required and also paid the amount he demanded, but he has not lived up to his promise.
They said Cardenas was able to give P320,000; Sierra gave P500,000; and Paccial, as a form of payment, gave her house and lot with a total purchase amount of P500,000, where the accused and his family are now staying.
