Lawyer, 2 fake PASG agents face estafa raps

MANILA, Philippines - A lawyer and two fake agents of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) were charged with estafa after duping a Binondo, Manila businessman to pay P600,000 for rolls of fabric they claimed to have won in an auction.

Charged before the Manila Prosecutors’ Office were lawyer Manuel Quijano, Johnny Tan and George Cruz. Quijano and Tan are detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), while Cruz remains at large.

PASG chief Antonio Villar Jr. credited the GMA 7 anti-crime program “Imbestigador” for uncovering the modus operandi of the suspects.

In a statement, Villar said tailoring firm owner Romeo Calderon said Tan and Cruz initially demanded P100,000, which he paid, as processing fee for the release of the rolls of fabric from a PASG warehouse in Subic, Olongapo City.            – Nestor Etolle