Two foreigners, Filipina arrested for alleged scam in Makati City

September 7, 2018

Two foreigners and a Filipina were arrested in an entrapment operation in Makati City on Thursday night.

National Capitol Region Police Director Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said arrested were Samuel Djumba, 47, and Patian Libukan, 36, Cameroonian nationals both residing at Unit 912, Tivoli Garden Residences  Mandaluyong City and Sarah Miranda, 47, a resident of Caloocan City.

He said the suspects were arrested for an alleged “black dollar scam” in an entrapment operation at the 26th Floor of City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati Avenue corner Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City around 8:55 pm.

Eleazar said they received a complaint filed by certain Deloz Carlos Cruz, 53, a businessman from Quezon City who posed as an investor with the two operatives during the operation.

Eleazar said Cruz and operatives were introduced by Miranda to the two foreignerstional for demonstration on how to wash defaced money and clean black dollars.

“Suspects fraudulently obtained money from their would-be victim by persuading that piles of banknote size papers in a safe are actually currency notes that have been dyed to avoid detection by authorities and (they) further explained that these are stained with an almost unwashable color, but a chemical exists which can remove it,” he said.

“Furthermore, the suspects persuaded their victim to pay fees and purchase chemicals to wash the dye off with the promise of a 50 percent share in the proceeds,” he added.

Eleazar said operatives recovered two bundles of alleged fake US dollars (199 pieces); five pieces of demonstrated alleged fake US dollars (with black stain); four assorted cellular phones; one black garbage bag of white powder; one bundle of white paper (dollar bill size); one bundle of black paper (dollar bill size); one bottle of betadine; one bottle of liquid soap; one roll of black trash bag; one bottle of shampoo, one syringe, one bag pack and one ultra violet flash light.

He said “the confiscated alleged fake US dollars will be submitted at Currency Issue and Integrity Office of the Central Bank of the Philippines to determine whether the currencies are genuine or not.”

Eleazar said the suspects are under the custody of Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU) of the National Capitol Region Police Office,

He said the cases for violation of Article 315 (syndicated estafa) in relation to Article 168 (illegal possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit) of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines will filed against the suspects. Robina Asido/DMS