A contractor offering to build a house at an affordable cost using only down payment from customers was arrested in Pampanga for allegedly failing to start the project and "disappearing."
Suspected scammer Peter Francis Manalastas Miranda, a resident of Metrogate, Mining, Angeles City, was arrested by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group agents in an entrapment operation for the crime of robbery extortion and estafa on Saturday around 4 p.m. in the same village, the CIDG revealed in a statement.
During the police operation, the following pieces of evidence were found in the possession of the suspect: 10 pieces of 1,000 peso bill genuine money with ultraviolet powder dusting used for marked, boodle money worth P290,000, driver's license with the name Peter Francis Manalastas Miranda on it, and a mobile phone.
CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee said Sunday that the sting operation and arrest of the suspect was made based on a complaint lodged by Allan Victoriano Domingo with the CIDG Angeles.
The alleged victim claimed that the suspect was engaged in fraudulent "build now pay later scheme" and had victimized more than 20 people already.
The suspect is misrepresenting himself as a licensed contractor and is employing devices and schemes such as "build now pay later" and low-cost construction projects "to lure potential clients to enter into a construction deal with him, CIDG said.
Upon receiving the downpayment, however, the suspect allegedly will not pursue the project.
CIDG spokesperson Maj. Mae Cunanan said Manalastas has a Facebook page where he would post projects and low-cost construction under the "build now, pay later" scheme.
"He was able to lure potential victims by saying that the reason why he offers low-cost construction is that he has a direct contact with the suppliers of construction materials," Cunanan told reporters in an interview
"He would usually ask for a 30 percent down payment and once it is paid, he would even send the construction materials to the construction site to convince the victims that his is not a scam," she added.
But once the delivery of construction materials is made, he would make several excuses until he could no longer be contacted, according to Cunanan.
Cunanan said at least 20 people were allegedly victimized by Manalastas in Pampanga alone.
"We are also receiving reports from our field offices that there were people whom he victimized in Laguna and as far as Davao City," Cunanan said.
Cunanan urged the public to immediately contact the CIDG if there are people they know who fell prey to Manalastas' modus.
The arrested suspect and confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to CIDG Angeles for documentation and proper disposition.