‘Sanla-tira’ scammers fall

Operatives from the Southern Police District (SPD) have collared three individuals allegedly involved in a P10-million estafa scheme involving a property in Sucat, Muntinlupa City last Tuesday.

SPD director PBGen. Leon Victor Z. Rosete identified the suspects as alias Alec, alias Christina and alias Daniel, who were apprehended by the SPD’s Special Operations Unit (DSOU) around 3 p.m. in a restaurant in Poblacion, Muntinlupa City.

Reports said that the suspects were arrested following multiple complaints received by the DSOU.

The complaints alleged that the suspects had enticed victims with promises of substantial profits by pawning or mortgaging the property and used notarized contracts to give the transactions a veneer of legitimacy.

During the operation, authorities recovered genuine P1,000 bills, boodle money, property documents, identification cards, mobile phones, and a gray Mitsubishi Expander registered to alias Christina.

Additionally, a Glock Pistol .9mm was found in the possession of alias Daniel.

Further investigation revealed that alias Alec had previously been convicted for violating Republic Act 22 or the Bouncing Check Law by the Valenzuela Municipal Trial Court Branch 101.

He was ordered to pay a fine of P400,000 and P1,000,000 in civil liability.

In line with this, several victims of the estafa scheme had appeared at the DSOU office to file additional complaints of large-scale or syndicated estafa. These complaints were accompanied by witness affidavits and substantial evidence.