‘CEO’ of auto trading company arrested for allegedly scamming clients

A man, who was said to be the chief executive officer of an auto trading firm, was arrested by the Manila police after his clients filed estafa cases against him.

The suspect was nabbed by the police while drinking in a house in Tondo, Manila, based on an Unang Balita report of Jhomer Apresto.

“May hawak kaming mga warrants of arrest. ‘Yung isa, estafa sa RTC (regional trial court) ‘yung isa naman syndicated estafa, ito ngang suspect at eight others, siguro mga cohorts niya, with no bail recommended,” Manila Police District Station 11 commander Police Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Mupas said.

(We have warrants of arrest. One was for estafa, the other one was syndicated estafa, involving this suspect and eight others who might be his cohorts, with no bail recommended.)

Mupas said many people already went to their station to file additional complaints against the suspect.

“Much expected na maraming warrant ang lalabas galing sa kanya (We’re expecting that more warrants will be issued against him),” he added.

One of the alleged victims said he availed a motorcycle in installment last year and brought it to the auto trading company.

“P150,000 ‘yung presyo ng motor ko. ‘Yung kalahati no’n ay ido-down payment namin sa Digicars… Usually, P5,950 ang aking binabayaran sa casa, ay magiging P950 na lang monthly,” Crisostomo Dungca said.

(My motorcycle costs P150,000. The half of that would be given as down payment to Digicars... Usually, I have to pay P5,950 to casa, but it would go down to only P950 monthly.)

However, Dungca said that Digicars paid for his motorcycle for only one month. He said he started doubting the auto trading company the following month when it did not pay for his motorcycle.

“The second month, wala na. Nakutuban na kami. In three months, wala pa rin. Hanggang pumalo na ‘yung four months, nagsara na ‘yung kanilang office,” he added.

(The second month, nothing was paid. We already sensed something was wrong. Three months have gone by, still nothing. In the fourth month, their office already closed down.)

The suspect, who is currently detained at the MPD Station 11, refrained from giving a comment to the media while waiting for the commitment order from the court.

The police, meanwhile, encouraged other victims to also file complaints to strengthen the case against the suspect.—Giselle Ombay/AOL, GMA Integrated News