MANILA, Philippines - Police investigators disclosed yesterday that they are checking if Rosel Jacosalem Peñas, the missing companion of actress Pilar Pilapil when she was attacked and left for dead last April 14, is a con artist.
Probers received reports that Peñas had allegedly worked as a housemaid and robbed her employer and was able to buy a car in cash.
Members of Task Group Pilapil gathered that Peñas paid P480,000 cash when she bought the beige Kia Carens with license plates CIZ-888 vehicle from its owner on Jan. 10, 2011.
Peñas and Pilapil were on board the Kia when two men supposedly carjacked and stabbed the actress in Marikina City two weeks ago.
Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Chief Superintendent Samuel Padilao Jr. said Peñas must answer how she was able to raise money for the vehicle when she was supposedly jobless.
Pagdilao said even Peñas’ husband Nelson expressed disbelief on the activities of his wife.
The couple got married in 2008 but they eventually separated.
Nelson Peñas is the brother of Pilapil’s husband Bernie.
Pagdilao said investigators have now launched a manhunt for Rosel Peñas who is now considered as a suspect.
TG Pilapil chief Senior Superintendent Joel Napoleon said all information made by Peñas to Pilapil were false and nonexistent and investigators said Pilapil’s accounts were corroborated by evidence.
Investigators said Peñas could have staged her own abduction in an attempt to collect ransom from Pilapil’s brother-in-law.
Pagdilao said Peñas husband Nelson even told investigators that he once saw an identification card with the photograph of Rosel but with a different name.
“So now that this happened, Nelson realized that he really doesn’t know Rosel that well. Hindi nya talaga lubos na kilala si Rosel,” said Pagdilao.
Police probers are now tracking down Rosel, now a suspect in the attack and robbery on Pilapil last April 14 in Marikina City. The actress was left for dead in Antipolo, Rizal.
Pagdilao said a businesswoman reported to the CIDG claiming that she had hired Rosel Peñas as a housemaid two years ago. The trader said Peñas allegedly robbed her of cash, jewelry and other items.
“A probable complainant claimed Rosel worked for them as a helper before at grabe daw nawala sa kanya. Ninakaw nitong si Rosel. We are asking her to come here and file her complaint,” Pagdilao added.
He said the prospective complainant from Metro Manila was able to identify Rosel from the picture of her passport that was published in the media.
Pagdilao said that investigators had contacted Romeo de la Cuesta of Caloocan City who was the previous owner of the Kia Carens. De la Cuesta said Rosel paid P480,000 cash for the vehicle last Jan. 10.
“It (car sale) was covered by a deed of sale but the records at the Land Transportation Office have not been updated,” Pagdilao said.
He said Task Group Pilapil is consolidating all the testimonies of witnesses and will eventually file the appropriate charges.
Pilapil is now convinced
Pagdilao said Pilapil is now convinced that Rosel was behind the attack on her two weeks ago.
“In the beginning she could not believe that Rosel can do this to her, kase bilas nga nya to at pinatira pa nya yung mag-asawa sa kanila (Because they are married to brothers and even allowed the couple to live at their place),” he added.
Investigators said Rosel gave several inconsistent details to Pilapil, including her employment and travel records and her personal relationship with members of her family, prompting authorities to consider her as a suspect.
Pagdialo clarified that it was too early to tell if Rosel was a member of a crime syndicate.
“At this time, it would be purely speculation (if we will say she was a member of a syndicate) we don’t want to speculate. Right now what we know is Rosel made this up with two cohorts,” Pagdilao added.
He expressed optimism that the artist sketch of one of Pilapil’s attackers earlier released to the media would help them identify and arrest the suspects.
Pagdilao said that based on the description provided by Pilapil, the sketch of the suspect matched the features of a fugitive member of a carjacking syndicate.