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Travel agency owners, employees charged over booking scam
Criminal charges have been filed against the owners and employees of a travel agency for allegedly duping their clients, police announced on Friday......»»
247 lending firm employees held for harassment
Up to 247 employees of an online lending company in Makati City, including three foreigners, were rounded up on Friday night for allegedly harassing clients who fail to pay their loans on time......»»
Mega racket bared
The recruitment scam in Italy revealed in DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show, Usapang OFW, has proven to be bigger than first thought as more victims surfaced yesterday. The victims recounted tales of deceit and a web of lies committed by the “CEO” of the agency. In an exclusive interview with Daily Tribune, 12 more victims agreed to recount their unpleasant experiences with Italy-based immigration consultancy firm Alpha Assistenza SRL, headed by Filipino co-CEOs Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro. They joined fellow victims Vanessa Antonio, Apple Cabasis, Enrique Catilo, and “victim-turned-runner” of Alpha Assistenza Socorro Velasquez, who had spoken of their experiences in the 21 September episode of Usapang OFW. The victims painted a picture of “serial scamming” that involved word-of-mouth testimonials, mostly from friends and even relatives that were too good to be true, about the agency’s social media savvy, its network of agents acting as “fixers” and collectors, and a heap of promises that turned into a mountain of excuses allegedly made by Respicio herself. (Daily Tribune is withholding the real names of all the victims at their request.) “One of Alpha Assistenza’s staff was able to get in touch with my in-laws, and they were told how the agency could bring Filipinos to Italy in as short as three months. We paid P150,000. We got a fake Nulla Osta (work permit),” Ramon said. Another victim, Janice, revealed that eight members of her family were recruited by Alpha Assistenza, and their agent was a relative. They paid a total of 21,000 euros. They all received fake work permits. Another requested a refund. The victim was issued a check, which was deposited in an ATM. The check bounced. Timeline of deception Each victim said they began their transactions with Alpha Assistenza last May. Several compartmentalized online chat groups, with members of at most 15, were set up by the agency for communications. The staff of Alpha Assistenza and Respicio herself were in each of the chat groups. “But almost none of us got to see Respicio personally,” said the victims. The agents of Alpha Assistenza acted as collectors for the agency, taking payments via online banking or accepting cash from the “clients.” One victim said she paid in cash at the agency’s office. She claimed it was Respicio who accepted the payment. The scam unraveled in July when a slew of Nulla Ostas “processed” by Alpha Assistenza was rejected at the local Piasi Via (immigration office). Several victims said they arrived as a group for their appearance, only to have their documents rejected because they were found fake. “After that, Respicio began to make all kinds of excuses. There was a glitch in the system. Or the rules at the Piasi had changed. Or there was a typo in the documents. She even gave the excuse that a popular show was having a tour in Milan so that the Piasi couldn’t process more papers,” several victims said. While they began to doubt Alpha Assitenza, they continued to hold on to the promises of Respicio, the victims said. Only when they connected with other victims did they realize the scam’s grand scale. The post Mega racket bared appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Finance firm employee faces falsification raps
An employee of a motorcycle financing company is in “hot water” after being slapped with 43 counts of falsified document and for qualified theft through fake receipt. P/Maj. Edward Samonte chief of the MPD-District Special Operation Unit identified the suspect only as Rupert de Asis. It was learned De Asis was filing charges against clients who fail to pay their monthly amortizations for the motorcycle loan but was the one collecting the payment. He allegedly has not remitted to the company such payments and was issuing fake receipts to customers. Samonte, in an interview, said that suspect De Asis is bloating sum of money for the expenses for filing court cases of delinquent clients who fail to pay their monthly due. De Asis defended his act by saying he had not taken any money but instead he put the payment to the account of other delinquent customers by juggling his collected money. The post Finance firm employee faces falsification raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Probe abusive lending firms — solon
Senator Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday urged his colleagues in the upper chamber to investigate the abusive debt collection practices of lending companies in the country. Tulfo filed Senate Resolution 746 directing the appropriate committee to “conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the rampant unfair debt collection practices of lending companies” to further strengthen measures that would protect consumers’ right to privacy, security and property. Tulfo lamented that these lending companies allegedly harass borrowers and utilizing abusive means to collect debts from borrowers. Some lending companies, he said, even posts libelous and defamatory remarks on social media of buy and sell groups, collecting payment from random contacts of their borrowers, and sending coffins and death threats. Tulfo cited provisions of Republic Act 11765 or the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, that specifically prohibit financial service providers from making threats to take action against their clients. The law also prohibits the practice of contacting persons on the borrower’s contact list, other than those who were named as guarantors or co-makers of the loan. The post Probe abusive lending firms — solon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Colombia extradites celebrity designer to US over illegal leathers
Colombia has extradited to the United States a celebrity fashion designer wanted for the alleged smuggling of protected animal skin purses, police in the South American country said Wednesday. Nancy Gonzalez's purses, clutches, and wallets sell for thousands of US dollars apiece, have appeared on catwalks and TV shows, and grace the shelves of high-end shops around the globe. But the Colombian, 78, was arrested in July 2022 in the city of Cali on accusations related to more than 200 of the caiman- and python-skin products that were allegedly imported illegally and sold in the United States. Individuals were allegedly paid to bring the bags from Colombia to New York on commercial flights and coached to lie about the provenance of the goods if asked. Some of the skins were allegedly from species that were either protected or in danger of extinction, police official Jose Luis Ramirez said in a video sent to media. Gonzalez was sent to the United States along with her business partner Diego Mauricio Rodriguez, the police said, without specifying when. The pair are wanted in the Southern District of Florida. She risks a 25-year prison term. According to her website, Gonzalez's bags are handcrafted in her native Cali by a team of artisans. The site says her bags are sold at over 300 luxury retailers, including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrod’s, and Tsum. Her designs were also featured in an exhibition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Among Gonzalez's famous clients are Salma Hayek, Britney Spears, and Victoria Beckham. The post Colombia extradites celebrity designer to US over illegal leathers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
23 POGO workers plead not guilty
The 23 individuals allegedly involved in the illegal operations of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator yesterday pleaded not guilty before a Pasay court during their arraignment. The POGO workers were charged before the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 111 of violating Republic Act 8799 or the Securities Regulation Code in relation to RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Atty. Gloria Quintos, legal counsel of the POGO workers, said her 18 clients were not allowed to be at the court thus the conduct of a video conference was held for them. Other respondents in the said case asked for the deferment of their arraignment while they were securing an accredited interpreter. The lady lawyer said the next hearing is scheduled by the Pasay City RTC on Wednesday, 6 September. The Department of Justice, in recommending the filing of the charges, said the National Bureau of Investigation uncovered compelling evidence that the POGO is involved in “fraudulent activities, particularly in the realms of tasking and recharging scams.” The missing Chinese according to Quintos has yet to be found. Last week, the Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano said a tracker team had been formed to search for the missing Chinese national. “Quintos on the other hand said her missing client is not around as he cannot be located before the arraignment was held and they could not establish communication after the time that he was missing.” Even the NBI according to Quintos also has no information on the whereabouts of her client. The post 23 POGO workers plead not guilty appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sandigan clears QC prosecutor of bribery raps
The Sandiganbayan has cleared former Quezon City Assistant Prosecutor Raul Desembrana of a direct bribery charge arising from his alleged demand of P80,000 in exchange for dismissing a complaint in 2014. In a 39-page decision, the anti-graft court’s Special Fourth Division acquitted Desembrana of bribery under Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code for the failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The erstwhile prosecutor was accused of direct bribery for allegedly requesting P80,000 from Dr. Alexis Montes and his son Connor, with pending unjust vexation cases before his office filed by a retired military chaplain. According to the prosecution, Desembrana took advantage of his position for the unlawful demand of P80,000 from the Monteses and for receiving P4,000, placed on top of the “boodle money.” The prosecution alleged Desembrana of demanding P80,000 from Monteses’ lawyer, Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People’s Attorneys, in exchange for withdrawing the case against his clients, which was assigned the Desembrana for preliminary investigation. Further, the prosecution added that Desembrana proposed an arrangement wherein he would issue a favorable draft resolution for the Monteses in return. In 2014, the National Bureau of Investigation set up an entrapment operation at a restaurant inside Quezon Memorial Circle, where they captured Desembrana after he took the P4,000 marked money from Cortez. In exonerating Desembrana, the Sandiganbayan, however, said the prosecution failed to present the P4,000 allegedly used during the entrapment operation as well as the “boodle money” and the white envelope. “The alleged acceptance of the P4,000 by accused Desembrana cannot be reasonably established without the presentation of the original marked money or the object evidence which was allegedly accepted by accused Desembrana,” it said. The Sandiganbayan also took note of Cortez’s testimony that he did not open the white envelope and relied only on the NBI agents’s statement that the mark and the boodle money were inside the envelope. “Hence, contrary to the allegations in the Information, the evidence presented by the prosecution failed to establish that accused Desembrana ‘actually received P4,000 which were placed on top of the “boodle money” from Atty. Ephraim B. Cortez,” it said. The post Sandigan clears QC prosecutor of bribery raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
End callous practice
Airlines’ practice of excessive overbooking, as proven in previous seat sales with huge discounts that resulted in passengers being bumped off, carries stiff penalties if the aggrieved party is persistent enough. The Mandaue City regional trial court recently provided the precedent for complaints from the army of disgruntled flyers when it ordered Cebu Pacific Air to pay P500,000 in damages to Cebu 6th District provincial board member Glenn Soco who was bumped off his scheduled flight from Manila to Cebu. Mandaue City RTC Branch 55 Presiding Judge Ferdinand Rafanan ordered Cebu Pacific to pay moral damages of P200,000, exemplary damages of P200,000, and P100,000 in attorneys and litigation expenses. The catch for Soco is that it took 12 years before he received just compensation for his ordeal, which is a stretch that entailed legal expenses that many Filipinos cannot afford. The compensation may even be short of the amount spent to keep track of the case, including the lawyer’s fees. Soco’s case, however, will greatly contribute to halting the excesses of airline firms through the indiscriminate denial of the service promised to their clients. He sued the airline for “breach of the obligation to transport him,” which he claimed had caused him inconvenience, serious anxiety, physical suffering, and sleepless nights. In Soco’s recounting, he said that on 14 April 2011, he booked a Cebu-Manila roundtrip ticket on Flight 5J 574 going to Manila on 15 April 2011, and on Flight 5J 553 on 16 April 2011, at 10:10 a.m. for his return flight to Cebu. The local executive said his ticket for the flight was confirmed. For his return flight, he arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 and got in the queue for departing passengers. He showed his ticket to one of the ground crew to get his seat number, according to the particulars of the 13-page court decision dated 20 June 2023. Soco, however, was informed by the ground crew that he could not be accommodated on the flight and when he asked for an explanation when he got to the head of the line, the Cebu Pacific personnel could not provide a definite response. Passengers behind him were “egging him to step aside” so they could continue with the queue, according to the court ruling. The scene turned chaotic and caused Soco humiliation, “and he was allegedly able to capture it on his cellphone camera,” the court said. Due to the rebooking, Soco missed his board meetings as the owner of Mandaue Integrated Manpower Services Inc., Coffee Dream Company, and Powerline Human Resources Management Inc. A Cebu Pacific Air guest service manager was quoted in the court ruling as having confirmed that Soco was not able to board. The reason given was that “the system of the defendant airline showed full capacity and he could no longer be accommodated on the flight.” “In situations like this, the standard policy of the defendant airline is to look for other passengers who are willing to volunteer their seats in lieu of other passengers with confirmed tickets who could no longer be accommodated. Otherwise, the passenger will be offered an option to either take the subsequent flight or be given a refund,” the court said. Civil Aeronautics Board Economic Regulation 7 recognizes the practice of airline companies of overbooking that does not exceed 10 percent of the aircraft’s seating capacity. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, senators in a recent public hearing said systematic delays and cancellations are unacceptable, as well as the lack of appropriate mitigation services and crisis management personnel from the airlines who are supposed to handle complaints. What passengers get for their tribulation is more suffering from the complicated rebooking or refund procedure. The height of insensitivity of airlines is making customers talk to chatbots instead of customer service representatives to make their complaints. They can spend for robots but inconvenienced passengers are given chips and bottled water. The post End callous practice appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teves mocks DoJ over ‘bribing’ allegations
Embattled Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. mocked Justice Secretary Boying Remulla’s claim that the suspects were bribed with P8 million each to recant their statements against him. In a Facebook video uploaded on Saturday, Teves labeled the alleged P8-million bribe as a figment of the Department of Justice’s imagination, stressed that he had no idea where Remulla obtained the figure. The accused lawmaker’s remark came a day after Remulla’s claim that the offer to the suspects began when his alleged co-mastermind Marvin Miranda was allowed to speak with a lawyer he earlier refuted knowing. “When Marvin Miranda was caught on 31 March, about six days after that, the rustling started. When he finally spoke to the lawyer he didn’t want to let in at first, the money offer to the other accused began,” said the Justice chief. To recall, five more suspects in the sensational 4 March killing of Degamo and nine others recanted their confessions before the Manila Regional Trial Court on 31 May, bringing the total number of suspects who initially cooperated with authorities but have now recanted their statements to 10. All 11 accused, including Miranda, filed a move to quash as they alleged that their arrests were unlawful. The most recent suspects to recant are Winrich Esturis, Eugelio Gonyon Jr., John Louie Gonyon, Joric Labrador and Benjie Rodriguez. They were represented by lawyer Jord Valenton, who said his clients were subjected to torture to confess to taking part in the assassination. Remulla over the weekend named former Justice Undersecretary Reynante Orceo as the person who allegedly spoke with Miranda and other suspects. Teves contended, though, that the Justice chief was only fabricating it against him. Previously, Teves was given another 60-day suspension and forfeited his committee memberships by the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Wednesday as a punishment for his continued defiance of Speaker Martin Romualdez’s call to return home and face the allegations against him in the Degamo murder case and report to work. His first suspension lapsed on 22 May. Teves left for the US since February this year. His stay outside the country despite his expired travel clearance is one of the reasons the House is running after him. The post Teves mocks DoJ over ‘bribing’ allegations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
43 farmers in Kidapawan rally acquitted
The Municipal Trial Court in Cities disclosed on Tuesday that it has acquitted the 43 Kidapawan City farmers who were involved in the 2016 protest where they allegedly assaulted policemen. Documents obtained from the Public Attorney’s Office showed the judgement of acquittal was handed down last 18 May by Judge Rebecca Elena B. de Leon of the MTCC. “The Court holds that it finds the evidence for their conviction with no recourse other than dismiss the case which is tantamount to a judgment of acquittal,” said the decision penned by De Leon. The demurrer to evidence, according to PAO who represented the farmers, told the court that the evidence of the prosecution is “insufficient to prove their guilt with moral certainty and beyond reasonable doubt.” Of the 61 farmers pinpointed as participants in the clash with policemen during the protest action, only 43 of them were arrested and charged. The protest stemmed on the farmers’ plea for rice supply from the government due to severe drought that hit their farms. “We laud the court for giving justice to said farmers. This decision proves that justice will flow like a river in our country as the PAO and its poor clients are waiting for swift and just victories for the Filipino people,” said PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta. To recall, the farmers staged a protest on 20 March to 1 April 2016 organized by cause-oriented groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anak Pawis, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Apo Sandawa Lumadhong Pananghiusa Cotabato in front of the Spotswoods Methodist Church in Kidapawan City. In the MTCC’s decision, the court stressed that on 1 April 2016 the protesters started throwing stones when “PSSupt. Alexander Tagum ordered the police and fire officers to engage after a five-minute ultimatum was given to protesters to disperse and clear the highway.” Reports had it that two farmers were killed and 13 others were injured during the clash. The post 43 farmers in Kidapawan rally acquitted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-Danske Bank staff charged with money laundering in Estonia
Six former Danske Bank staff have been charged with laundering $1.6 billion and six million euros ($6.5 million) at the Estonian branch of Denmark's biggest lender, prosecutors said on Monday. They are accused of "providing money laundering services for a sum of at least $1,611,963,711 and 6,074,878 euros" between 2007 and 2015, Estonian prosecutors said. "Assets worth about 10 million euros, allegedly obtained through money laundering, were seized", the prosecutors added. The six "deliberately concealed" the true owners of the money transferred to the bank's Estonian accounts, which was "probably of criminal origin," the prosecutors said. The former employees "created their own money laundering business, which they hid from other units of the bank" and sold clients companies "that hid the real owners," the prosecution said. They helped clients "hide the electronic fingerprint from the bank when making transfers and offered a paid transfer document drafting service" in a "professional money laundering" operation, state prosecutor Maria Entsik said. She added that the accusations related to eight "prior infractions" in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Russia, Switzerland and the United States. Last week Danske Bank reported heavy 2022 losses after being hit by huge fines in the United States and at home over money laundering. In December, the bank pleaded guilty to defrauding American banks via its Estonian branch in order to sneak money from criminals in Russia and elsewhere into the US financial system. Danske Bank forfeited $2 billion as part of the plea agreement. It was then fined 3.5 billion kroner ($512 million) by the Danish financial watchdog. Danish authorities also seized 1.25 billion kroner in profits from transactions in the Estonian branch, which has since shut down. The post Ex-Danske Bank staff charged with money laundering in Estonia appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SC junks admin charge vs. octogenarian lawyer
MANILA - The Supreme Court has dismissed a complaint for allegedly soliciting legal business and clients in violation of standing bar ethics standards filed against an 80-year-old lawyer.In a resolution dated July 6 and published online July 18, the tribunal junked the admin.....»»
Ati tribe fenced off in Boracay
Tension has sparked in Boracay after security guards allegedly fenced off parcels of land owned by members of the Ati tribe......»»
NBI nabs 8 bogus DBM officials
Eight people allegedly posing as officials of the Department of Budget and Management were apprehended by the National Bureau of Investigation in Mandaluyong on Tuesday......»»
Cebu Daily Newscast: Father jailed for gunning down son in Lahug, Cebu City
Listen to Cebu Daily Newscast to know the latest news in and out of Cebu. Here’s what you need to know this Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Father jailed for gunning down son in Lahug, Cebu City A 63-year-old father landed in jail after he allegedly gunned down his own son whom he had an altercation.....»»
Father shoots son dead for disrespecting mom in Cebu City
CEBU CITY, Philippines – He was only requested to turn off the lights of his hut, but his disrespectful response to his mother’s order ultimately led to his death. The fatal shooting of a 28-year-old jobless man by his own father in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City on Monday night allegedly stemmed from months of constant.....»»
7 dead after Davao City Mayor Duterte declares war vs. drugs
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 March) – Two more drug suspects died in separate buy-bust operations in Toril District here before dawn Tuesday, after they allegedly resisted arrest, a police official said. This brought the number of fatalities to seven since Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte declared a “war” on illegal drugs last March […].....»»
Second graft case filed vs Magalong
Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong is facing another graft case before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the allegedly anomalous improvement and rehabilitation of a P50-million multipurpose building in Barangay Irisan......»»
PNP exec in sex scandal threatened victim with enforced disappearance
A Philippine National Police colonel embroiled in a sex scandal allegedly threatened his victim that he could make her disappear......»»