Fake real estate agent nabbed

Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos ordered the arrest of a woman who was positively tagged by her victims as an agent-collector of multimillion-pesos in payment for "non-existent" housing units.

Aurora Rodil, 55, of 815 Private Road, Daang Bakal, Barangay Hulo in Mandaluyong was nabbed during an entrapment operation set up by Abalos and the 48 complainants who were allegedly duped by the suspect of their hard-earned money. The complainants sought the help of the mayor after Rodil failed to turn over the "keys" to their "dream units" in the Manggahan Housing Project (medium-rise condominium) in Barangay Vergara.

Abalos personally met with the complainants in his office yesterday and facilitated the arrest of the suspect who was later turned over to the police so the case may be filed against her based on testimonies of the complainants.

Investigation showed that Rodil introduced herself to the victims as an agent of the Manggahan medium-rise condominium and asked them to pay an average of P80,000 to P120,000 each in exchange for a housing unit. The transactions were made between December 2001 until November 2002, as Rodil claimed that the housing units would be ready for occupancy by December last year. However, the victims later found out that Rodil was a bogus agent-collector when she postponed the move-in date for would-be occupants to early January or February this year, but still failed to provide said units. They were even surprised to know that the units Rodil promised them were already awarded to legitimate owners as of December 2002, when the Manggahan Housing Project was formally inaugurated.

Meanwhile, Abalos urged people who have related complaints against Rodil to coordinate with his office so proper charges could be filed against her. – Non Alquitran