Seaman's wife
foils swindling
BY DONALYN M. GUERRERO

The wife of an international seaman who narrowly escaped being swindled yesterday warned the public not to trust strangers after she avoided the bait of two men who identified themselves as a "doctor" and a "boat captain" who told her that her husband had been involved in a commotion abroad and had killed a chief mate on their way to Singapore.

The 28-year-old-woman, a resident of Himamaylan who asked not to be named, yesterday told the DAILY STAR that she received a phone call from an unidentified person who identified himself as "Dr. Lopez".

The caller told her there was a shoot-to-kill-order against her husband she said.

She claimed the "doctor" asked her for P80,000 in cash to finance the medical expenses of her husband who was reportedly in a critical condition.

She said the caller told her that he helped her husband to escape through a private jetplane and he is now safe in a condominium in Palawan. She aid the "doctor" requested her to reload his cellphone so that they could talk longer about the condition of her husband.

Without second thought, she said, she sent P1,000 worth of cellphone load to the man.

Later, she said another male caller who identified himself as "Capt. Golez" contacted her and asked her to send the cash to a certain Mark Anthony Siy of Greenplains Subd., Pasig through the Western Union Money Transfer. She said she and her sister hurriedly went to the Western Union outlet in Hinigaran town to process the transaction. After a few minutes, "Dr. Lopez" called and instructed her to go to Bacolod City to deposit the money at the "Pwells Finance Inc." instead.

Meanwhile, she told her friend who is an employee of the Western Union about the caller and their transaction. Her friend warned her about the swindlers' modus operandi and asked her to re-evaluate her transaction with the caller.

Later, the callers failed to contact her and when she decided to call them no one answered. Getting suspicious, she decided to report the incident to the police, she said.

PO3 Vivian Ramos of the Himamaylan police yesterday the suspects had surveyed the background of the complainant and her husband. Ramos said the complainant told her that the caller had contacted her mother-in-law two hours before their transaction.

Ramos said the caller asked for the names, contact number and addresses of some of her relatives.*DMG

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City police start apprehension
of tricycles without franchises

The Bacolod Traffic Authority and the City Mobile Group yesterday started apprehending motorized tricycles operating in the city without valid franchises and business permits, police director Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, said.

Merced said the BTA and CMG personnel have been directed to strictly implement the apprehension of motorized tricycles without franchises and to regulate their operations. He said drivers of tricycles operating without franchise and those plying out of their routes will be arrested and have to pay P1,500 in fine, for each traffic violation.

Merced said, though, that motorized tricycle drivers and those with routes covered by a moratorium are still allowed to operate even without franchise until the Sangguniang Panlungsod approves the proposed new routes for motorized tricycles.

As of yesterday, however, Merced said he does not have the exact number of motorized tricycles apprehended for operating without franchises.

Earlier, Bacolod Councilor Dindo Ramos, chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Traffic, had proposed Ordinance No. 185 as amended by C.O. 288, regulating the operation of motorized tricycles and granting franchises for their operation within the territorial jurisdiction of the city.*DMG

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Girl in road mishap dies

An 18-year-old girl who was injured along with eight others when a Mitsubishi passenger bus hit the trisikad she was riding in front of the Goldenfields Commercial Complex in Bacolod City, died at the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center at about 2 p.m. yesterday, hospital reports said.

Reca May Valiente of Purok 1, Magsungay, Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City and her companion Joan dela Pena, 21, were brought to the hospital with several injuries after the collision, police reports said.

Trisikad driver Roger Librando Hipolani, 15, was also rushed to the same hospital where he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician Tuesday, police reports said. The deaths of Hipolani and Valiente and the injury of eight others was caused when the passenger bus driven by June Dulman Saquian hit the trisikad of Hipolani where Valiente and Dela Peña were riding, police reports said.

Saquian swerved the bus to the left lane to evade the trisikad, but it collided with a Ceres bus driven by Joel Viajedor Mahinay, 37, that was picking up a passenger in the area.*DMG

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