4 men nabbed for swindling

Police arrested four men who were accused of swindling a Talisay city resident of P1 milllion.

The four suspects were identified from  video footage taken inside a mall, where they met.

A fifth  suspect, a certain Lando, remains at large.

The victim said he was convinced to take part in a business deal and paid P1 milion to the group for “tawas” granules, which turned out to be fake.  The money has not yet been recovered.

Cebu City Police Chief Ramon Buenafe is expected to discuss details of the unusual case in a press conference today.

Police said the suspects responded to a classified ad where the victim was advertising his house and lot for sale.

On Sept. 8, the victim met the four suspects in a shopping mall  and paid P1 million for the goods. He discovered the white crystals were fake when he got home.

Police said they traced  the suspects to a restaurant near Plaza Independencia after viewing video footage of the mall’s security camera./CORRESPONDENT RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL