Pasig businessman loses P1 M to ‘Dugo-Dugo’ gang

A businessman and his wife lost Wednesday more than P1 million worth of assorted jewelry to suspected members of the “Dugo-Dugo” robbery gang in Pasig City.

Bill Cowper, 55, and his wife Elizabeth, residents of Barangay San Antonio, Pasig City lost two expensive Rolex watches, a diamond ring, a pearl necklace, and five wrist watches.

The couple’s housemaid, Aiza Reyes, received a telephone call from an unidentified woman telling her that Elizabeth was involved in a vehicular accident at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The caller claimed that Elizabeth needed immediate treatment.

Reyes said she insisted on talking to her employer but the caller refused, saying that Elizabeth could not talk because of her injuries.

Thinking that her employer was indeed involved in an accident, Reyes said she followed the caller’s instructions, taking the couple’s jewelry and handing the valuables to a woman who met her at a fastfood chain in Baclaran, Parañaque City.

When she got home, Reyes discovered that her employer was alive and well. Police are now conducting a follow-up operation to identify the woman, whom Reyes described as about five feet tall, chubby and fair-complexioned.   – Non Alquitran