Bogus priest nabbed

A man passing himself off as a Catholic priest allegedly working with prison and drug rehab inmates and preying on generous and unsuspecting donors was arrested yesterday by Malabon police.

Eric Cabangon alias Rev. Cabangon, who introduced himself to the police as a priest of the "Sacred Canions (sic) of the Holy Mother the Church" based in Basilan, was ordered detained at the police jail by Superintendent Pete Ramos, city police chief, minutes after going out of the latter’s office on suspicion he was a fake.

SPO2 Efren Briones said further investigation showed Cabangon has no permanent address in the city and has been living off the generosity and hospitality of residents. Cabangon told probers he stays with people willing to take him in particularly when he has nowhere to sleep in for the night.

"Napadpad lang dito. Kung anu-ano ang sinasabi. Basta na lang lumutang. Walang address dito sa Metro Manila. Wala rin siyang ID," Briones told The STAR. Briones also revealed that some senior police officers, including Northern Police District Office (NPDO) deputy district director Senior Superintendent Raul Gonzales and Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Benjardi Mantele, have allegedly been victimized by Cabangon. — Jerry Botial