TAGAYTAY CITY, Cavite – Five suspected members of a big-time fake land title and deeds syndicate were arrested during an entrapment operation by city police operatives on Monday afternoon.
Police Regional Office (PRO4A) Calabarzon Regional Director Chief Supt. Edward Carranza personally visited the Tagaytay City Police Station, where the five suspects are now detained, to supervise the filing of cases of large scale estafa and falsification of public documents against them.
Carranza also called for the other victims of the big-time syndicate to also file charges against the suspects.
Senior Supt. Willian Segun, Cavite Police Provincial Director commended the operating team, led by city chief of police Supt. Elmer Decena, “for a job well done.”
Decena identified the arrested suspects as Gerardo Matuod Trinidad, 58 of Phase 1, Barangay Bagtas, Tanza Cavite; Aireen Celis Tan, 52 of Merced Street, Barangay 683, Paco District, Manila; Rochel Cristobal Alcantara, 49 of Balagtas St., Balagtas Royal Mansion in Barangay 2, Pasay City; Michael Cadorniga Sarabosing, 34 of Arellano St., San Agustin, Malabon, Metro Manila; and William Gonzales Pineda, 48 of M. Natividad St. Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Decena said the five suspects were apprehended during an entrapment operation inside the Bag of Beans Coffee Shop at Robinson Supermarket at Barangay Maharlika West, Tagaytay City.
According to Decena, the entrapment operation was launched when victims Ester Mariano Rosales, 68, a widow, and a residents of General Lizardo St., 28th Avenue, Quezon City; and a certain Yoshihisa Tsujimoto, 46, of 7272 J. Victor St., Barangay Pio del Pilar, Pasong Tamo, Makati City, personally sought assistance pertaining to the alleged estafa and falsification of land titles.
Police investigation revealed that the victims already paid around PHP80 million as initial payment for the eight parcels of land sold to them by the five suspects.
However, the victims later discovered the land titles given to them by the suspects were spurious.
This prompted Decena to launch their joint entrapment operations with the San Jose Municipal Police Station, Batangas at the coffee shop, which resulted in the arrest of the five suspects.
Operatives also recovered from them some PHP24,000 cash and the marked “boodle” money used for the entrapment operation. (Dennis Abrina/PNA)
