NATIONAL bureau of Investigation agents arrested a suspected con artist right after she stepped down from an airplane at the Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental on Sunday.
Gerardo Tamayo, NBI-Malaybalay officer-in-charge, identified the suspect as Marilyn Delima of Block 1, Lot 12, Yellow Bell St., Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City.
The NBI arrested Delima, chair of the “4iCD Maharlika Neighborhood Multi-purpose Cooperative, based on a warrant issued by municipal court Judge Nelson Salcedo in Valencia City.
The warrant was issued in connection with with an estafa case filed by one Evelyn Custodio who claimed she wrongly invested P350 thousand to Delima’s cooperative.
Tamayo said the cooperative, which turned out to be unregistered, has been collecting thousands of pesos in various fees from mostly teachers and students in Bukidnon.
The fees include: P50 as registration fee, P2,280 as cooperative fee, P10 thousand as paid-up share for the cooperative, P5 thousand for documentation, P5 thousand as lot membership fee, P3,708.35 as monthly payment for the first 24 months and P3,611.11 as monthly payment for the next 28 years.
Tamayo said a number of Bukidnon teachers fell for it.
“Ang mga student sa Bukdinon, iya kunong ipa-scholar bisan walay iyang scholarship program,” Tamayo said.
He said Delima is facing a case for large scale swindling.
“Dakong ilad ning iyang trabaho,” Tamayo said.
Delima had just arrived from Manila and was about to go to Valencia City when NBI agents pounced on her at the airport at around 2:55 pm.
Tamayo said the NBI checked with the Housing and Land Used Regulatory Board and found out that Delima’s cooperative was unlisted. HLURB regional director Charito Raagas certified that the group was unegistered.
Delima, for her part, said the accusations against her were “unfair,” adding that her group has applied for registration with the Cooperative Development Authority. She also denied accusations that she engaged in estafa. (nitz arancon)
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
