Tourist guide nabbed for robbing Japanese trader

MANILA, Philippines - A tourist guide was arrested for allegedly taking a Japanese businessman’s ATM card from a hotel in Caloocan City on Tuesday.

 Relani Bonus, 41, a resident of Navotas City, and her companion, Rodel Gabad, 30, were charged with qualified theft before Caloocan City fiscal Darwin Canete.

Bonus, who served as the guide and interpreter of Ken Ohashi, 64, said she entered the Japanese trader’s room at Novo Hotel at around 2:53 p.m. and took his ATM card upon learning that he was duped of 500,000 yen by a certain Christian Chavez.

Bonus gave the card to Gabad, who withdrew P140,000 from a bank in Monumento. The two were arrested in a follow-up operation conducted by police in Navotas City.

 “Bonus said she thought that Ohashi may not be able to pay her services, so she decided to rob the Japanese businessman,” Chief Inspector Rodrigo Soriano, Caloocan City police investigation chief, said.

Police  have launched a manhunt for Chavez.