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Saturday, July 08, 2006
Americans prepare case against swindlers
By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
DAVAO CITY -- Two Americans who said they were duped by two men in a fake gold bar deal are now preparing documents to support a case even as police included one more suspect, the brother of one of the two original accused, in their report.
The complainants -- identified as James Dugan, 60, and Philip Schwab -- earlier reported to the Sta. Ana Police that they were swindled by one Rhoel Salvador and Nestor Bagas of Barrio Sugbong Valencia in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental in a fake gold deal that cost them P9.52 million.
Police Officer 3 Jeffrey Grant Bangcas said that Bagas's name cropped up in the complaint because this is the name the Americans sent P1.2 million to through Western Union at the onset of their deal.
The duo, in the fake gold bar deal, however, is actually brothers Rhoel and Michael Salvador.
"I now have evidence showing the identity of the person who delivered the fake gold to the hotel," Bangcas told Sun.Star.
The two Americans were approached by the brothers in Manila, who said they planned to use the money from the sale to build a hospital for retired military and police personnel.
The duo believed the con men because they were retired marines.
"We were ready to file the case (Friday) but the complainant is still waiting for his money to arrive since we need P86,000 for the filing fee," Bangcas said.
Sta. Ana investigators have in their possession photo grabs from a surveillance camera of the Marco Polo Hotel where the victims stayed and where the fake gold bars were delivered.
The suspects stayed at the Hotel Cabaguio and police investigators were able to get an identification card of one of the suspects from that hotel as they still have an unpaid bill of P28,000.
Police are still making sure they have the real identities of the suspects by looking into the records of the National Statistics Office, as there is still the possibility the names used were bogus.
They are also investigating whether the alleged swindlers have other victims aside from the two Americans.
Using this information, Bangcas said they could then track the suspects down. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(July 8, 2006 issue)
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