2 women arrested for swindling businesswoman in Muntinlupa
Published Jul 7, 2023 01:35 am
Two women were arrested by the police for allegedly swindling a businesswoman of P2.52 million in house rental fees in Muntinlupa.
The suspects, Christine Rose Almoete, 35, and Maria Teresa Loria, 40, were arrested by the Muntinlupa police on July 6 at a hotel lobby in Filinvest City, Barangay Alabang. Another suspect, Ricky Morales, remains at large and is being pursued by authorities.
The two arrested suspects (Photos from Muntinlupa police / SPD)
The two were arrested based on a complaint by businesswoman Diane Grace Sy-Alvarado, 40 years, of Ayala Alabang Village. According to the police, Sy-Alvarado had been in contact with Loria, who acted as her broker to the house she is presently renting on Batulao Street in Ayala Alabang Village. Sy-Alvarado decided to transfer to another house also in the same village and asked for Loria’s help. Loria introduced Almoete to the complainant who offered a property allegedly owned by a certain Manuel Palaganas. They agreed on a monthly rent of ₱180,000. To secure the contract, the complainant was instructed to provide a one-year security deposit amounting to P1,360,000 and a one-year advance payment of P1,160,000. Sy-Alvarado gave cash amounting to P1.36 million and a bank check worth P1.16 million to the suspects’ colleague, Morales, for a total of P2.52 million. But when she visited the property on Sarangani Street in Ayala Alabang Village, it turned out that the house was not available for rent. She asked for help from the village security, which swiftly conducted a follow-up operation leading to the arrest of the suspects. The transaction between the complainant and the suspects was witnessed by the complainant's personal assistant, Rannie Pagdanganan. The arresting officers, Emerson Acusar and Ernesto Obusan, from Bulldog Security Agency, carried out the operation with personnel from the Muntinlupa Police Sub-Station 5 (Ayala Alabang). The P1.36 million cash and the bank check amounting to P1.16 million were not recovered. The suspects will be charged with swindling (estafa) under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.
The two arrested suspects (Photos from Muntinlupa police / SPD)
The two were arrested based on a complaint by businesswoman Diane Grace Sy-Alvarado, 40 years, of Ayala Alabang Village. According to the police, Sy-Alvarado had been in contact with Loria, who acted as her broker to the house she is presently renting on Batulao Street in Ayala Alabang Village. Sy-Alvarado decided to transfer to another house also in the same village and asked for Loria’s help. Loria introduced Almoete to the complainant who offered a property allegedly owned by a certain Manuel Palaganas. They agreed on a monthly rent of ₱180,000. To secure the contract, the complainant was instructed to provide a one-year security deposit amounting to P1,360,000 and a one-year advance payment of P1,160,000. Sy-Alvarado gave cash amounting to P1.36 million and a bank check worth P1.16 million to the suspects’ colleague, Morales, for a total of P2.52 million. But when she visited the property on Sarangani Street in Ayala Alabang Village, it turned out that the house was not available for rent. She asked for help from the village security, which swiftly conducted a follow-up operation leading to the arrest of the suspects. The transaction between the complainant and the suspects was witnessed by the complainant's personal assistant, Rannie Pagdanganan. The arresting officers, Emerson Acusar and Ernesto Obusan, from Bulldog Security Agency, carried out the operation with personnel from the Muntinlupa Police Sub-Station 5 (Ayala Alabang). The P1.36 million cash and the bank check amounting to P1.16 million were not recovered. The suspects will be charged with swindling (estafa) under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.