“BUDOL-BUDOL” is a coined Hiligaynon word that refers to the swindling hurly-burly of a gang that convinces the target that inside the bulging bag there are bundles of peso bills (bank notes). A swindler is a person who gets the money or anything from someone by fraud or trickery.
Our policemen have been warning the public repeatedly to be aware of “budol-budol” gang. Despite of the series of warnings, we still have the victims. “Budol-budol” ranges from the most simple to the most complicated. You could have heard of senior citizens who after attending their morning mass were approached by polo barong-wearing guys and were convinced to withdraw their savings from the bank or go home and get their pieces of jewelry.
Some believed that they were hypnotized. They were invited to get inside the van and a flowery transaction takes place there. It is some kind of broad day light seizure comparable to alien abduction. Some victims manage to be released because there is no money in their wallet, no bank deposit, and have no pieces of jewelry. Some offered novena pamphlets to gang members. They are left behind in some unfamiliar streets.
Other “budol-budol” activities (getting high tech) are in the internet. We have this case of one retired government official who was convinced by a coordinator to invest in a business and time will come that he will double his capital. He was motivated to become instant millionaire. He went to the extent of borrowing money from friends. One day, he was told that to earn that million, he has to put in another five hundred thousand pesos. If he fails, he will lose his investment.
He never made it. His capital is gone with the wind. His friends are now his enemies. He could not pay them. Some of his friends who trusted their thousands of pesos to him are now in the state of mental, emotional, and financial depression. This guy is a victim of “budol-budol” through the social media.
There is this alleged meeting called for by a coordinator encouraging those who can afford to invest their thousands in a shadowy branching business venture. The honey-tongued spokesperson said that those who made their investment ahead are already earning their millions and some have bought their own cars. I know that some have ventured their hard-earned thousands. This investment firm has no office and the points (money equivalent) could just be accessed in the internet. No amount is deposited in their bank book.
I know of one lady politician who was offered by the alleged coordinator of one prominent Manila-based journalist that a medical mission would be brought to her local government unit. A day before the big event, this politician was informed that more drug companies are sending free medicines to the doctors and nurses joining the medical mission. She has to send a big amount for the freight. Later it was found out by her point person that it was the swindler who coordinated the whole thing.
The same thing happened to the other politician. It was also the medical mission thing. This politician had already gathered the patients from all his barangays in his gymnasium for the arrival of the medical team. He received a phone call from the coordinator that more boxes of medicine have been loaded in the plane. The sponsors do not have the fund for the extra freight. Mr. Politician noticed that something was wrong with the agreement.
He requested his Manila connection to check the airplane at the airport bound to his province. There was no scheduled flight, no medical mission, and no medicine. The medical mission was aborted. Mr. Politician instead distributed bread to his constituents and offered a convincing explanation.
What could be bad here is the case of one pension house. The manager received a call that he has to reserve five rooms because the congressmen are going to stay there. The police department of that local government unit was also requested to dispatch three policemen to secure the area and the manager should give them good food and flowing coffee. Before midnight, the manager received a call that he has to send loads to the cell phones of five congressmen because they are in the middle of the meeting. The manager was obedient.
After midnight, no congressmen checked in. The manager could no longer contact the coordinator in his cellphone. The policemen are still enjoying the food and their constant coffee breaks. Morning had broken. Nothing was heard about the congressmen. That was “budol-budol.” All these happened in the Philippines. This is not funny … not fun either.