MANILA, Philippines — A retiree lost about P800,000 in cash and jewelry after falling prey to “budol budol gang” tricksters in Manila on Monday afternoon.
The Manila Police District said that the victim was a 76-year-old pensioner from Paseo de Galvan, Malate, Manila, who had requested that her name be withheld for fear of further threats.
According to a police report by PO3 Adonis Aguila, the robbery happened at the corner of San Andres Street and Quirino Avenue in Malate, where the victim was approached by two persons between 2 and 4:30 p.m.
The victim told the police she was approached by two persons, who introduced themselves as Manuel and Mabel Bautista. They claimed to know her son as they were classmates in high school. They then invited the victim to join them in their car where a gift was waiting for her.
The victim went with them to the car, where a third suspect, known only as “Joel,” was at the driver’s seat. A fourth person approached them, identified only as a “Malaysian lady,” introducing herself as a business partner of Joel. She then asked for help to find a certain brand of meatloaf they were to use in their business. Manuel said that the meatloaf brand was available in a nearby supermarket.
The victim then claimed that Manuel and the Malaysian lady stepped away and then returned supposedly with P1.8 million in cash wrapped in envelopes and placed in a backpack. The Malaysian lady then told the victim to withdraw money from her bank account, give them jewelry and buy them clothes and perfume.
The group then took the victim to her house in Malate, where she got her passbook and credit cards, as well as P200,000 in jewelry. They then brought her to her bank, where she withdrew P300,000 from her account.
Finally, the group took her to the SM Mall of Asia where the victim bought P264,000 in clothes and P61,000 in perfumes for the con artists at a high end boutique there.
The con artists then dropped the victim off where they picked her up at around 11 p.m. on Monday, with the backpack supposedly containing P1.8 million. When she looked inside, however, it only contained pieces of paper rolled to look like money and a few P1,000 bills.
Aside from giving her money and jewelry to the group and treating them to a shopping spree, the victim claimed that the four also seized her two ATM cards and a cell phone.
There have been many cases of “budol-budol” style robberies reported to the police. It is believed that the perpetrators use some form of hypnotism to have their way with their targets.
(With a report from Andronico M. del Rosario, trainee)