MetroBriefs

Food cart business ‘conman’ nabbed in Caloocan

An alleged swindler ended up behind bars on Wednesday night after his cohort demanded more money from their victim, a businesswoman. Rowel Servito, 28, who claimed to be the president of franchise company RGM Food Cart, was arrested by the police in a fast-food restaurant at Victory Central Mall on Rizal Avenue, Caloocan City, after he received P7,000 from Alma Moises. Earlier, Moises asked for help from the police when she failed to get the food cart she was promised by Servito’s company although she had already paid the P160,000 fee in full. She said that she was convinced to go into the franchise business by Servito’s cohort, Joharry Lim, whom she met at a supermarket in April. Moises said that although she paid the franchise fee the following month, Lim kept on making excuses for not delivering the food cart which aroused her suspicion. Moises added that on Aug. 8, Lim texted her and asked for an additional P7,000. With the help of the police, an entrapment operation was set with Lim and Moises agreeing to meet on Aug. 27. Only Servito, however, showed up as Lim had excused herself, saying she had some business to attend to in Bulacan province. When he received the money from Moises, he was arrested by the police. Noli Ermitanio

Cop kills Pasay pawnshop theft suspect

A policeman shot and killed a suspected thief following a foiled burglary at a pawnshop in Pasay City before dawn on Thursday. Alberto “Utoy” Quilicol was shot in the back, the bullet exiting through his chest, by SPO1 Gerardo Perchaso of the Pasay police. His two cohorts, however, managed to escape. A report submitted by SPO3 Ronaldo Frades said the three had broken into the Villarica Pawnshop on  Dela Cerna Street in Daop-palad, Merville, around 2 a.m. when the alarm went off. As the three were fleeing from the scene, they met the policeman who was with several barangay watchmen. According to the police report, Quilicol tried to shoot the lawman, prompting the latter to fire first. Scene of the Crime Operatives later recovered a cal. .22 gun from Quilicol at the crime scene. The Pasay police said that the suspect’s live-in partner later showed up at the police station and told them that he was arrested for a robbery holdup case in 2012. Maricar B. Brizuela