|
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Swindler nabbed in Balasan
By Ruby P. Silubrico
* Chief Superintendent Quintos says that the suspect and her companions almost encashed P100,000 from the said rural bank
* Suspect says the check was given by a lady who approached her when she was in Manila
ONE of ten swindlers believed to be members of a syndicate that operates nationwide, was arrested Tuesday while in one rural bank in Poblacion Balasan, Iloilo.
Arrested was Corazon Peralta, 31, of Santa Mesa, Metro Manila.
During transaction at the Balasan Rural Bank, Peralta introduced herself as Thelma de Guzman.
She presented an identification card and tried to encash a P8,000-worth check marked with the Department of Education as the payor.
Peralta was accompanied by nine others in entering the bank, police said.
She was the last one being accommodated by the teller.
The teller, who grew suspicious, called the police.
Peralta tried to escape. When she saw the police running after her, she threw some of the checks.
She was arrested at 10:30 a.m.
Senior Superintendent Efren Quintos, provincial director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) said that they are still conducting a tactical interrogation on the suspect.
He said he believes that she is part of a syndicate operating nationwide.
"We're still interrogating her. We will later know if the group is operating nationwide. So far, we have not received reports from other rural banks here," Quintos said.
Quintos said that the suspect and her companions almost encashed P100,000 from the said rural bank.
Quintos believe that the group's modus operandi is to make an identification card bearing fake names for their bank transactions.
"We will also investigate how they got the checks - if they are authentic of not," Quintos added.
On the other hand, Peralta, in a radio interview, admitted she tried to encash the check.
The said check was given by a lady who approached her when she was in Manila.
This lady asked her if she wanted to join her group and they later one became friends.
She said that they arrived last Monday via a passenger vessel that docked through Estancia port then proceeded to Balasan.
"Dalawa lang kami ng kaibigan ko galing Manila na nakilala ko lang at hindi ko alam ang pangalan, pero taga Visayas siya (It's just the two of us who came from Manila. I just met her and I don't know her name, but she's Visayan)," she said over the radio.
The Balasan police are still conducting a hot pursuit operation on the suspect.
(March 9, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
