Food firm helper fired, jailed over fake robbery claim

MANILA, Philippines - A helper in a food distribution firm was fired from his job and jailed after he reported a fake robbery in order to steal the firm’s collections in Valenzuela City yesterday.

Chief Inspector Danilo Bugay said Johnny Sibugan, 20, faces charges of qualified theft before the city prosecutor’s office for allegedly stealing P20,000 he and sales agent Ronald Gotela, 35, collected for the day in behalf of Athena Prime Marketing. Sibugan has been working for the same firm for three years.

Gotela told Bugay he parked the firm’s Isuzu Elf van along I. De Guzman street in Barangay Dalandanan at around 11:45 a.m. to transact business with local clients. He said he left the bag that contained the money with Sibugan.

When he went back after an hour, Gotela said Sibugan told him he was robbed at knifepoint by two motorcycle-riding suspects. Gotela reported the incident at a Police Community Precinct 6.

SPO2 Armando Delima, SPO1 Percy Villanueva and Police Officers 2 Hoover Ireneo and Sherwin Fajardo asked residents of the area, who said no robbery occurred. The police officers found the bag in front of a nearby chapel.

At the police precinct, investigators found inconsistencies in Sibugan’s testimony and became suspicious of a bulge in his pants. They frisked him and found P11,500 tucked in his underwear.

Sibugan admitted he stole the money because he had many unpaid debts, and he exonerated Gotela, saying he was the only one who knew of the fake claim.