Swindler victimizes 2 elderly inside Capitol
Two elderly women were divested of their money – coins included – right inside the halls of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
The suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, befriended the victims – 75 year-old Rosita Frades and 62 year-old Carmelina Elises.
The swindler introduced himself to the duo as the brother-in-law of the governor’s bodyguard. He met the two at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao, Iloilo City and enjoined them to go with him to the Capitol.
It was the promise of sure medical and financial assistance, Frades told The New Today (TNT) that got her and Elises to go with the suspect. They were at the WVMC to seek help on a lingering cataract problem and were later approached by the yet to be identified swindler.
Once in the Capitol, the two were made to wait in the second floor by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office. The man meantime got them to list their names and submit the senior citizens card. They were also asked to be on “stand-by” since Governor Niel Tupas Sr. was supposedly having lunch still. The governor though was in official travel to Manila yesterday.
Minutes into said waiting, the swindler came back asking for money saying he just needs to pay somebody and return the money as soon as the governor calls them.
All of the duo’s cash – P300 and some coins for Frades and P200 for Elises were taken with the suspect making sure they gave all of whatever was in their wallets. He was immediately gone and after two hours of waiting, Frades and Elises began to realize they were swindled.
Help of another bystander was sought who took them to the Office of Board Member Richard Garin. Both residents of Barangay Bagacayan, Igbaras, Iloilo, the two reported what happened to Garin’s staff, Japheth Salinas.
Capitol security was then told of the incident with no sighting whatsoever of the suspect.