'Budol-budol' gang strikes anew, cons woman out of US$5000
Members of the crime group, Budol-Budol gang hit anew, this time conning their way out of an unsuspecting woman's US$5,000 or roughly P250,000.
The victim, 67 year-old Aurora Canto of Jereos, La Paz, Iloilo City withdrew the amount Friday afternoon from Philippine National Bank (PNB), General Luna Street branch.
The money was intended for the hospital expenses of a family member set to undergo surgery. Minutes into waiting for her turn to see the bank teller, Canto was approached and befriended by a Muslim-looking woman who sought her help on where to go see a higher-paying foreign exchange dealer. With Canto's dollars, together the two went across the bank and talked further in the Atrium Mall.
Another woman then came whom Canto described to be in her 30s, 'rich-looking' and with mestiza features, spoke to her in halting Ilonggo and tagalog while seeking directions where to buy construction materials. Then yet another person, this time a male accomplice approached the trio and offered to assist.
In seconds, it was agreed for Canto to take hold of the other woman's money for the construction materials, stay in the premises of one fastfood joint as they go check the supposed dealer or construction supplies store.
For some reason, Canto agreed to place her US$5,000 in same bag where the mestiza-woman's bundles of pesos were also supposedly kept for her care. Not known to her, a switch was made and some three hours later, Canto who kept on waiting for the trio to come back became alarmed and sought the help of the mall security to open the bag left for her to secure.
The woman-victim's fears were confirmed upon seeing bundles not of money but wads of papers. Police were alerted of the incident however with at least three hours of escape, authorities were left to just recording the crime as verification of the suspects' identities were made.
The money was sent by Canto's stepdaughter from California, USA.