FOUR persons were caught through citizen’s arrest after their victims found out that they were issued fake official receipts for driver’s licenses.
The arrest took place inside a fast food chain near Borromeo and Colon streets in Barangay Kalubihan, Cebu City.
Apprehended were Marjon Cabaluna and his brother Junimar, Vincent Pitogo Jr. and Fredilyn Germino.
The Cabaluna brothers and Pitogo are residents of Barangay Bulacao in Cebu City while Germino hails from Camputhaw. They were arrested by Noraldine Amacsod and Saiven Mipantao, who identified themselves as victims of the suspects.
Based on the investigation conducted by the Carbon Police Station, Abdul Mipantao and Avel Delantes, who were relatives of the victims, reportedly sought the services of the suspects to have their driver’s licenses issued in exchange for P4,000.
When they had their official receipts verified at the temporary printing office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7, the victims’ names were not registered in the agency’s database.
But before they went to the LTO 7 for the verification, the victims had called the suspects several times so they could get updates on their licenses. The suspects reportedly did not answer the calls.
The victims themselves then decided to pretend to be clients. They arranged for a meeting with the suspects at a fast food restaurant for the transaction, and the suspects agreed.
After the money changed hands, the victims, through the assistance of a barangay tanod, arrested the suspects.
The victims were able to confiscate another fake official receipt for a driver’s license from the suspects. They turned over the evidence to the police.
P/SMSgt Desiderio Alfeche of the Carbon Police Station said the Cabaluna brothers were reportedly paid P500 by Pitogo to deliver the fake official receipts and licenses.
However, Pitogo claimed that Germino was the one who sent him as he was merely receiving a commission from the latter for their illegal activities.
Alfeche urged the suspects’ other victims to file charges against them.
For his part, LTO 7 Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec said when his personnel assessed the official receipts recovered from the suspects, they found out that the documents were fake based alone on the wrong signature of the office head found in the receipts.
Caindec said they plan to file charges of falsification of public documents against the four suspects. (From PAC of SuperBalita Cebu, JKV)