CIDG busts gang selling fake gold bars

MANILA, Philippines –  Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group National Capital Region has busted a syndicate involved in the peddling of fake gold bars to unsuspecting buyers in Southern Metro Manila.

In his report to Camp Crame, Inspector Rommel Macatlang of the CIDG-NCR said two members of the gang were arrested in an entrapment Thursday afternoon near a gasoline station along the South Luzon Expressway in Carmona, Cavite.

Macatlang identified those arrested as Rene Baning and Jimboy Egoy, both residents of Pagtakhan Compound, Barangay Talon 4, Las Piñas City.

The suspects were arrested while negotiating with an undercover police officer who posed as a buyer of the gold bars at about 2:30 p.m.

According to Macatlang, the entrapment against the suspects was conducted following a complaints lodged with the CIDG-NCR by Roqueta Diaz, Nestor Nicanor and his wife Elsa, all residents of Barangay Moonwalk, Las Piñas City.

The victims told police that they were duped by the suspects of P180,000 which they had paid in exchange for some gold bars. The gold bars they said, later turned out to be fakes.

Following the complaint, the CIDG-NCR contacted the suspects and arranged for a deal for four gold bars.

Seized from the suspects during the entrapment were a .38 caliber revolver with six live rounds and three and a half pieces of fake gold bars weighing 6.2 kilos each.

Macatlang said charges have already been filed against the two arrested suspects before the Cavite Provincial Prosecutors Office. The suspects are now detained at the CIDG-NCR office in Camp Crame.