Police arrest man for swindling

A MAN who pretended he could get someone a job in the Bureau of Lands for a fee was arrested by police in Mandaue City.

Swindling charges were filed yesterday against Ireneo Ibon, 64, before the Mandaue City Prosecutors’ Office.

Ibon was arrested in an entrapment operation inside a fastfood eatery in barangay Centro around 2 p.m. last Thursday.

Police acted on a complaint of Jessie Gabonada, 50, who said Ibon offered to get his son a job at the government office.

Ibon allegedly said there were two vacancies but that the father had to pay P4,000 for each spot as a cash bond.

Gabonada said he gave P8,000 to Ibon last May 31.

The complainant said he trusted the man whom he knew as a preacher of the Adventist Church in barangay Maguikay.

After the initial payment, Ibon contacted him again and asked for P2,500 more.

Gabonada said he became suspicious and reported the deal to the police.

Operatives of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) and Centro police set the trap and arrested Ibon when he accepted P5,000 in marked money.

Police said Ibon admitted that he was not connected with the Bureau of Lands and that he was just a fixer. REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS