DAVAO CITY ? A Japanese national and two Filipinos were arrested here on Wednesday for their alleged role in a syndicate involved in the oil separator scam, the police said Friday.

Oil separator is an industrial chemical used for treating wastewater.

Police Insp. Jacy Jay Francia, chief of the Heinous Crime Investigation Section of the city police office, identified the suspects as Yoshiharo Hiroshi, Albert Iballar and Victor Onez.

Francia said the suspects have victimized several businessmen here by convincing them to buy oil separators at very low prices. The chemical has a high-market value and the victims were convinced they could make money out of it.

But the problem is that the suspects would deliver fake oil separator chemicals, which would make the victims lose money and face possible charges.

The latest victims here were Maria Teresa Salazar, 65 and her daughter, also named Maria, 25.

Francia said the suspects managed to sell at least P1.5 million worth of ?oil separator? to the victims.

?This is a well-financed group operating nationwide,? Francia said.