CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Police operatives said yesterday they believed they have busted a notorious gang which has victimized many wealthy residents of more than R5 million with the arrest last Wednesday of six suspected members in Plaridel, Bulacan.
Chief Supt. Rowland Albano, regional director of the Central Luzon Philippine National Police (PNP), identified the arrested "Budol-Budol" suspects as Carlos Manalad, 65, alleged leader; Joel Maranan, 36, Roberto Elizaldo, 43, and Marlon Cortez, 41, all of Plaridel, Bulacan; Jaime Brosola, 41, of Magdalena, Laguna; and Rodolfo Bibon, 41 of Nagcarlan, Laguna.
The latest victim of the gang, Romeo Relucio, 45, businessman, of Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija, was defrauded of R200,000 after he was made to believe that he won R500,000 in a "black jack" card game in barangay Bangan, Plaridel, Bulacan last April 26.
The modus operandi involved the winning in the card game of R250,000 due to a "pre-arranged" hand signals made by the card dealer, Carlos Manalad, demanding Relucio to produce R300,000 which would allegedly match the "pot money" placed by the card dealer in a black bag before opening the cards.
Relucio went home to Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija to get R200,000. Returning to Plaridel, he was instructed to place the R200,000 in the black bag purportedly containing the pot money of R500,000.
In the last card deal, Relucio appeared to have won against the card dealer.
Then, the winner was handed the black bag supposedly containing his winnings.
It was later discovered that the black bag in which Relucio placed his R200,000 cash bet had been switched with another black bag containing four bundles of cut typewriting papers with the size of R1,000 bills.
During an investigation at the Bulacan provincial police headquarters, other persons appeared and testified to have been victimized by the same gang members through similar modus operandi.
They included Jeniffer Melecio, 31, of Pulilan, Bulacan who complained of having been duped also in a card game in that town of R18,000 last April 26.
Teresita Ganzon, businesswoman of Banga, Plaridel complained she was also gypped by the gang of R800,000 last Feb. 22;
Noraida dela Cruz, 34, businesswoman, of Bulihan, Plaridel, was swindled of R15,000 cash and assorted goods worth R45,000 last Nov. 23;
Jose San Pedro, 52, of Longos, Pulilan, Bulacan, said he was victimized by the gang of R40,000 cash and a cellphone last Aug. 27.
Susana Jacinto, 70, of Bulihan, Plaridel, Bulacan said she was also defrauded by the gang of R900,000 cash and assorted jewelry worth R60,000.
The suspects were detained at the Bulacan provincial police headquarters.
The police operatives led by Supt. Robert Quenery, 305th mobile police group director, and Supt. Felix Arthur de Asis, Plaridel police chief, pounced on the suspects shortly after the gang victimized Relucio.
During the investigation of the case, four businesswomen and a businessman from different towns of Bulacans appeared and claimed they were victimized by the gang in 2003 and 2004.
Melecio was swindled by the gang at about 1 p.m., and few hours later at about 4 p.m., Relucio.
Investigators said from the six complainants who went to the provincial police office, the gang collected more than R1 million in cash. The estimated loot in the last two-and-half years was placed at R5 million.
