Gang of swindlers busted in Valenzuela

Some 16 members of a swindling syndicate posing as sales agents of a popular meat processing firm and preying on unwary sari-sari store owners and homeowners have been arrested by police operatives in Valenzuela City.

Superintendent Billy Beltran, Valenzuela City police chief, identified seven of the suspects as Joel Parungao, 30; Lito Bacani, 36; Jun Vasquez, 37; Pedro Rarugal, 34; Richard Pabalete, 31; Pablito Pelayo, 32, all of Kaunlaran Village, Caloocan City and Ricky Cenente, 34, of Sauyo Road, Novaliches, Quezon City.

Those collared for the same criminal activities in a separate operation about the same time last Tuesday in Mandaluyong city, were July Cantela, Guillermo Monsanco, Joey Cruz, Mark Santos Reyes, Mel Limoram, Lino Alicami, Merlita Huerto, Josephine Melendez and Philip de Jesus.

The Parungao Group operates in Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan and Nueva Ecija in the north and in Cavite, Laguna and Rizal in the south of Luzon.

"We ask the public and those victimized to come out in the open and file the necessary charges against Parungao and the suspects now detained at the Valenzuela and Mandaluyong police stations," said Bong Cendana, national sales manager of the Valenzuela-based CDO-Foodsphere Inc.

Records showed that at around 2 p.m. last Tuesday, the suspects arrived at Felo 1 Subdivision in Barangay Rincon, Valenzuela City on board a jeepney (VCA-677) owned by Parungao.

Introducing themselves either as distributors, dealers and agents of the firm, the suspects enticed unsuspecting storeowners and homeowners to buy CDO products, employing irresistible promotion gimmicks that included "free freezers and subsidized electric bills" charged to CDO itself.

Alma Santos, 26, was so attracted to the offer that she quickly parted with P1,800 for five kilos of assorted products. She said, however, that after paying, the suspects allegedly left without leaving any CDO receipts or instructions on how to avail of the promo.

Realizing she had been duped, she reported the matter to the police. Barangay officials, guided by Santos, hunted the suspects and found them at work at the San Simon Subdivision in neighboring Barangay Dalandanan.

After a brief chase, the suspects were cornered and arrested. Recovered from Bacani was the money paid by the victim. Also seized were various unauthorized sales transaction documents, price lists, brochures, streamers and assorted CDO meat products.

At the police station, CDO Credit and Collection Manager Alex Coralde II confirmed that the suspects were not in any way connected with the firm nor were they authorized agents, distributors nor dealers.

He also confirmed that the company has not launched any special promotion such as free freezers and electrical bills in exchange for buying its products. Coralde added that the company also has no program requiring deposits, downpayment or reservation fees.

Charges of estafa and violation of intellectual property rights were readied against the suspects.

Cendana said the syndicate has victimized at least 260 persons, mostly sari-sari store owners. The official said several victims have unanimously identified Parungao and his wife Magnolia, still at large, as the alleged leaders of the group.

He added that Parungao has been using several aliases as Richard Sunico, Odi Sy, Roger Morales, Robert Gajudo, Ken Medina, Ronald Lim and Mark Pineda.

Cendana advised the public to transact only with authorized personnel and report misrepresentation through the company hotline (02) 294-1111 locals 214 and 237.