American sues woman for theft

CEBU, Philippines - An American has filed charges of qualified theft before the Regional Trial Court against his Cebuana chatmate who allegedly stole jewelry and appliances from his rented house last April 24, 2004.

Kenneth Luce, a businessman from Las Vegas, Nevada, has filed charges against Juliet Mabala, a Cebuana whom he met over the Internet.

Luce said that he met Mabala through a social network called the Filipina Club last March 2003. He and Mabala eventually became good friends and chatmates. 

On June 2003 he went to Cebu to meet her, they got acquainted and Mabala helped him acquire an apartment in Casal’s Village, barangay Mabolo.

Luce said that he even made a bank account for Mabala where he deposited money worth $17,000 for the purchase of the apartment’s appliances.

He added that he also left some cash in his drawer for Mabala’s food and electricity expenses.

Having been trustful to the woman, Luce said that he only found out in April 2004 when he came back to Cebu City that Mabala had left the apartment and took his belongings worth P840,034.

Four days after Mabala left, she called him and told him that she will return all his belongings and the cash that she took in her account worth $6,500.

But Luce said that until today nothing was returned to him and that he does not know of Mabala’s whereabouts.

For failure to submit a counter-affidavit, the case was already forwarded to the Regional Trial Court.

No bail was recommended for the accused. – Jasmin R. Uy/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)