‘Budol budol’ couple falls after potential victim recognizes scam

A junk shop owner in Manila managed to avoid being swindled after seeing a "budol-budol" swindle in a report on "24 Oras".

 

According to a "24 Oras" report aired Monday night, Bernie Escalona of Lardizabal Street in Manila said a man went into his shop and greeted him as if they were old friends.

 

"Hawak lang dito, tapos kumusta, ganun... Apir. Magkakilala tayo? hindi kita kilala e," Escalona said.

 

He said the man had initially tried to sell him an SUV, and then later offered him perfumes. Escalona even bought some, he said.

 

But, when the man showed him a scar that he said was from a recent surgery, Escalona remembered an Aug. 21 "24 Oras" report on a "budol-budol" scam pulled in a restaurant in Intramuros.

 

"Nakita ko sa '24 Oras'. Natandaan ko yung itsura, yung sabi niyang operado siya," Escalona, who called the police, said.

 

"Tumawag sa 117 tapos nagkataon naman na nandito tayo tinawag sa amin kaya nagpa-dispatch ako ng tatlong tao na inabutan naman sila sa lugar," Insp. Erwin Carandang, commander of Manila Police District Police Community Precicnt 4, said.

 

Police recovered P5,000 that Escalona had given the suspect and his companion, who were identified as Walter and Susan Peckson.

 

"Nagbenta lang kami ng pabango. Wala kaming ginawang masama," Walter Peckson said.

 

Supt. Mannan Muarip, MPD Station 4 commander, said the couple will be charged with "estafa and other forms of swindling." — JDS, GMA News