• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Authorities are investigating the activities of a Chinese-looking woman and her tricycle driver-companion alleged to have been taking photos of Philippine government-issued identification (ID) cards in Bacolod City.
Jose Gabriel Jr., executive officer of National Bureau of Investigation – Bacolod District Office, said on Thursday, July 25, that the two already managed to victimize 13 persons, who are residing at the boundary of barangays Estefania and Vista Alegre.
Based on the initial investigation, an amount of P400 is being offered to the victim to allow the suspects to take a photo of his or her ID such as driver’s license or national ID.
The woman, who speaks Hiligaynon and carries a bag full of mobile phones, told the victims that the information from their IDs will be used to open GCash accounts for them.
Gabriel said that “a certain Mark”, who is the tricycle driver, told the victims that they have already visited other areas in Bacolod City, but he denied having idea of the transactions to be made through the GCash accounts.
It is possible that it would be used for online scam or to enable others to assume fake identities, the NBI official said.
On Thursday, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson met with PCol. Rainier de Chavez, the police provincial director, to be updated on the said modus operandi.
Lacson enlisted the help of the media to make it an “issue” and to talk about it to inform Negrenses of the “looming scam”.
He called on Negrenses to be vigilant on the arrival of foreigners, not only Chinese, in the province either by boat or plane.
“Let’s learn from the experience in Pampanga, or even in Tarlac,” the governor said, apparently referring to Philippine offshore gaming operations in those provinces.
He added: “Let’s be conscious on that, especially when there are big buildings being built, which is mysterious, although in Negros Occidental, we don’t see it.” | GB
