Fake tourist guides nabbed in Davao

DIGOS CITY, Philippines – At least 16 mountaineers from Manila fell victim to a group of tourist guide-poseurs here but their sad experience still ended up in celebration after they were allowed to proceed to Mt. Apo on Thursday – for free.

Ryan de Vera, leader of La Cuerdas mountain climbers, said they had planned to scale the country’s highest peak a few months ago and dealt with Rodel Javenis, who introduced himself as a licensed tour guide for the Apo climb.

After finalizing the schedule of their trek and paying about P700 each in “Ids, permits and other documents,” de Vera said they flew to Davao.

“We only knew Rodel Javenis through text messages and cellular phone calls,” he said, without elaborating on how they met Javenis.

De Vera said as they were preparing for their flight to Davao, Javenis demanded more money, which made them suspicious.

“That’s why we called up the tourism office of Digos and found out we were about to become further victims of bogus people,” he said.

De Vera said his group agreed to work with the city tourism office and the police here – through calls – for the arrest of the poseurs, who managed to forge IDs that were to be issued to trekkers.

Edgardo Elera, city tourism and promotion officer, said he and city police director Supt. Querubin Manalang immediately formed a team and arrested Javenis and two other suspects, identified as Michael Javenis and Omar Piosca.

The suspects, all residents of Davao City, were arrested while escorting the 16 mountaineers from Davao City to Barangay Kapatagan here on Thursday.

Elera said the city government was thankful to the mountaineers because Javenis and his gang had been giving officials a headache for years now.

“We already received reports about his modus operandi and now we caught them red-handed,” Elera said.

As a gesture of appreciation for their cooperation, Elera said the mountaineers were given free pass to Mt. Apo via the Kapatagan trail here.

Kapatagan is among the three gateways to the country’s highest peak. The two others are in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato and in Sta. Cruz town in Davao del Sur.

The Mt. Apo Summer Trek lures at least 4,000 climbers each season – in March and in October – because of the challenges posed by its treacherous passes.