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More 'Florete impostor' victims surface
More victims have come out to identify a savvy Tagalog-English-speaking swindler who managed to pull a con to professionals and big businesses. From Iloilo City to Bacolod then off to Davao, government authorities continue to consolidate reports and complaints all pointing to James Alimon as the same sole culprit. In Iloilo City, Police Precinct 4 in Molo District got a complaint from Gilbert Gines, an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who told police he lost his gold necklace, bracelet and ring to said suspect. He introduced himself to Gines as "James", a neighbor and new occupant of the apartment across Gines' house. Alias "James" went ahead to exchange pleasantries last June 27th and told his unsuspecting victim that he can help find job for Gines' relatives since he was just hired as manager of a local Chowking fastfood branch. Minutes into the exchange, "James" said he also have a sideline dealing with low-priced yet good quality jewelries and asked to check out Gines' necklace, bracelet and ring. When called by a housemate and gone for a few seconds, Gines' fears were confirmed that a con was just pulled on him by then the unknown suspect - his jewelries including his new neighbor James went missing. In Bacolod City, the next victim and first known by the public was the scam successfully made at the plush El Fisher Hotel. Responding hotel security and alarmed broadcasters of a local radio station went to El Fisher albeit too late to catch the suspect. There he incurred over P27,000 in bills, about P5,000 of which was solely for the phone bills. And he even had a party, The News Today learned, while getting a "V.I.P. treatment" from hotel staff in the entirety of his stay. Another victim was a rental company also in Bacolod City where he conned his way off of P7,000 rental agreement in the two days he was provided a rental car. In both instances, he introduced himself as the low-profile scion of a rich family. And please keep it a secret, he would tell everybody in contact, for he fears that a kidnap gang is out to get him. El Fisher had him on record as Lawrence Sarabia Florete while he was Mark Sarabia Florete with the rental office. Yet it was to be in Davao City's Marco Polo Hotel that luck ran out for Lawrence a.k.a. Mark a.k.a. James. With over P34,000 in unpaid hotel bills, hotel security alerted operatives of the Davao police that got him in police custody. From thereon, Bombo Radyo network was told anew of the incident that had him exposed and heard in a nationwide interview over Bombo Radyo stations. He had quick answers to just about all questions then posed by Jan Rubiato, Bombo Radyo executive and insisted his parents who are currently on tour are out to bail him out. And he is only 14 years old, he said while saying he lost all of his credentials including passports in the fire that hit a vessel of Sulpicio Lines. Charges of Estafa have been filed against him. |
