NBI nabs leader of gang selling fake land titles

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested a self-confessed leader of a syndicate that sells fictitious land titles in Cavite and Muntinlupa City.

Saileto Mayor Lontabo of the Bagong Lahi Pilipino Cooperative, “a self-styled association selling fictitious land in Molino, Bacoor,” will be charged with syndicated estafa, robbery extortion and falsification of documents, NBI Director Nonnatus Rojas said in a statement.

Lontabo was arrested by the NBI-Cavite District Office, headed by Onos Mangotara, in an entrapment on July 16 based on a complaint of Rima Montano.

Montano told the NBI she paid Lontabo P660,000 last March 23 for the lots he allegedly owned in Springville Subdivision in Molino and in Camella Homes in Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa.

Since then, Lontabo continuously demanded money from her on top of the amount that she already paid.

On July 10, however, Montano checked with the register of deeds and found out that the land titles given to her were “spurious.”

After his arrest, Lontabo told the NBI that the land titles came from his accomplices in the cooperative.