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P2-M
recruit
scam bared
FOR THE 19 or so victims, the promise of greener pastures
in Canada was too good to be true. That explained why
they parted with their hard earned cash, some of them
sourced from loan sharks, just to be able to raise "show
money".
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But
what promises to be a greener pasture turned out to be a bald
meadow when all of them were left holding the proverbial empty
bag. They seemed to forget the time honored dictum that if
it is too good to be true-investigate. In short, they were
duped. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the victims who
reports revealed were swindled of more than P2 million by
a sweet-talking "classmate" in a care giver facility.
The figure of 19 victims was relayed to the Post by Teresita
Abcede of Torralba Extension, this city. She and her two sons,
Joseph, 31 and Emmanuel, 24, were swindled by a total of P205,000.
There was a big possibility that more victims remain unknown
as they were embarrassed to open up and admit that they fell
prey to the advances of the swindler.
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Now
the object of extensive manhunt by her victims is a
certain Marissa Thiess y Flores who claimed to be a
native of Iloilo City. Said to be in her 30's, her surname
is foreign sounding apparently to convince her victims
that indeed she was familiar with Canada. Her claim
was that she was married to a Canadian.
Abcede
visited the Post's office last night to identify some
of the names victims.
Some
of the victims were only known by their first names.
They are Lino Garsuta, a commandant of the University
of Bohol and two others identified as Florence Trigo
and a certain Mona. They are said to be faculty members
of the care giver school.
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The
other victims are Janice Abrea, Grace Payot, Abcede, a certain
Honorio and Flo Doria, all students of the Can Care Training
School along B. Inting and Espuelas Sts.
In
a police report obtained by the Post at the city police station,
only seven victims were identified. With their corresponding
amount swindled, the victims who reported to the local police
of their ordeal in the hands of the suspect, were identified
as Abcede, P205,000; Anthony Macadang, P115,000; Baby Erlinda
Mindoro, P203,000;Payot, P226,000;Ceilito Payot, P76,000;
Melanie Buaquin, P205,000 and Janice Abrio, P50,000.
In
an interview with Grace Payot, she said she was victimized
along with her brother Cielito. The lady Payot is connected
with the Lotto outlet located along CPG East Avenue owned
by Engr. Romie Sales.
Feeling
downhearted, Payot said she is now in a quandary where to
get the money to pay a loan from her auntie and from other
sources some of them from neighbors who lent money with interest.
According
to the narration of the complainants, the suspect was a student
at the caregiver training center. She enrolled only last January
and over time, she befriended all the victims before they
were fleeced of their hard earned money.
A
caregiver course is good for six months plus two months hospital
duty.
Although,
most of the victims are still to finish their respective care
giver course, the swindler assured them that they can be employed
in Canada as domestic helpers. Those victims who have no caregiver
background whatsoever were recruited to become drivers-also
in Canada.
Granting
that a student has passed the caregiver course, to be qualified
for overseas work, he has to pass first an entrance exam to
be given by TESDA.
MODUS
To
gain the confidence of her victims, the suspect made it appear
that her husband was recruiting for workers to Canada .
The
complainants added that they easily fell for the suspect's
story because she was a smooth talker and because she did
not look suspicious.
The
suspect told the victims that they can leave immediately if
they go on a tourist visa but their employment will be processed
once they are already in Canada .
While
there, the victims were assured that her contact will be the
one to process their working visa.
The
complainants said the suspect instructed them to open an ATM
account with BDO formerly Equitable PCIBank along CPG Avenue,
this city.
She
told the victims that she needed to know their account numbers
so it will be convenient for her husband to make deposits
in their accounts.
At
the same time, the suspect told the victims that they also
have to make deposits as "show money".
The
suspect told the job applicants that the required amount would
not be less than P100,000.
In
the case of Payot, she was told to open an ATM account so
that it would be easy for her husband to deposit representing
so-called show money. After opening an ATM account, she was
showed a passbook showing a deposit of P200,000, the amount
purportedly coming from her husband.
According
to the complainants, the suspect told them that their flight
schedule was set on Feb. 28.
On
Feb. 27, the suspect did not show up although she still responded
to the text messages of the victims.
When
the supposed schedule for their departure came however, the
suspect could no longer be reached and her cellular phone
was switched off.
Meanwhile,
a statement from the caregiving institution denied that it
had anything to do with the activities of the suspect.
The
school also pointed out that only two students were involved
in the incident, one of them being the suspect.
In
the wake of the incident, the victims sought the assistance
of Cong. Edgar Chatto for help in obtaining a hold departure
order from the Bureau of Immigration involving the suspect.
Cong.
Chatto also provided them the services of a lawyer to assist
them in preparing the affidavits in order to support a case
in court.
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