Suspected swindler arrested after maid alerts police

MANILA, Philippines — A suspected member of the swindling “dugo-dugo” gang was arrested by the Malabon Police on Tuesday afternoon after a household worker wised up to his con and arranged an entrapment operation with the police.

The suspect, identified as Jonathan Viray, was arrested after one of the complainants, house helper Mylene Cruz, handed him a bag with jewelry worth more than P52,000 during the entrapment operation along Katipunan Street, Barangay Bayan-Bayanan, Malabon City.

Senior Police Officer 1 Redentor Mantala Jr., the officer handling the case, revealed that on Tuesday afternoon, Cruz received a call from an unidentified man telling her that her employer, Manolo Cayetano, figured in vehicular accident in Caloocan and needed money to pay off one of the victims.

The man then ordered Cruz to get all the money and jewelry from her employers’ bedroom and bring it to him.

However, while she was grabbing all the cash and jewelry from Cayetano’s bedroom, she realized that the call could have been a plot to snatch the valuables away from her.

She then called Cayetano’s wife, Lourdes, and told her about the call on Manolo’s accident. When Lourdes verified that Manolo was fine and not in anyway involved in an accident, she reported the man’s call to the Malabon Police, who arranged an entrapment operation.

Meanwhile, Cruz continued to coordinate with the suspect, who asked that the valuables be brought to their meeting place in Tatawid, Gov. Santiago and M.H. Del Pilar streets, Barangay (village) Santolan.

Viray appeared and took the bag containing two pieces of gold bracelets and one gold necklace with pendant worth a total of P52,000.

The police then pounced and arrested Viray, who would be facing charges of robbery.