Woman bilks mayor, 4 others of P17 M

A businesswoman was arrested by Quezon City police officers Thursday night for allegedly failing to pay over P17 million in cash and properties she owed five people, including a town mayor in Cagayan Valley.

Police said Evangeline Protacio, 30, a former executive manager of Fuel Options, was arrested in her home in Lagro upon the complaints of Lal-Lo, Cagayan Valley Mayor Florentino Pascual, Shangri-La Hotel sales consultant John Uy, Jewel Options account manager Marie Rose Kristine Recto, and businesswomen Ruby Pineda and Celine Camille Castillo.

The victims said they were prompted to seek police assistance in arresting Protacio after she failed to remit the monthly payment to each of them and issued bouncing checks.

Pascual said Protacio failed to pay him P3 million, an amount he had given her as investment in the oil company that she worked for.

Uy said Protacio failed to pay him for P1.4 million worth of Rolex watches and P1.452 million worth of gold and diamond jewelry.

The suspect also allegedly owed Recto five rental vehicles; Pineda, P11 million worth of diamond and gold jewelry; and Castillo, P537,000 worth of jewelry.

During interrogation, Protacio admitted she had been engaged in the buy-and-sell business and the four complainants where childhood friends of hers.

She said she sells and sometimes pawns the items given to her by the four complainants to earn money.

Protacio told investigators that she worked with a certain Medilyn Peralta to whom she also gave some of the valuables. She claimed she started to have difficulties in paying her duties after her business partner failed to remit payments for the pieces of jewelry.    

The police said Protacio would be charged with estafa.