Seven Bacolod residents claimed they lost more than P100,000 in cash to a couple who reportedly swindled them at Mirano Street, Lopez Jaena, Brgy. 28 in Bacolod City recently.

Case investigator PO3 Danny Abalayan of Police Precinct 6 told the DAILY STAR yesterday that seven women complained against "Cyra Alcantara", who also uses several aliases, such as "Ana" and "Mabelle Maalat", and her husband identified as "Bunny Alcantara", alias "Lei".

Jennifer Ong, 31, of Lopez Jaena, told the DAILY STAR yesterday that "Cyra" and her husband were her boarders in October 2005, but they transferred to the house of Lourdes Batislaong a month later after a misunderstanding. Ong said Cyra failed to victimize her since they were not on good terms, but she reportedly victimized her grandmother and six others in the neighborhood who were "hypnotized" by her sweet-talking.

She said she saw Cyra talking with her grandmother several times but she did not know what their transactions were. It was only last week when she discovered that her grandmother lost about P50,000 to Cyra. Gloria Martinez, one of the complainants, yesterday said she used to be the household helper of the couple and then failed to pay for her services from October up to this month. She said the couple even borrowed her ATM card and withdrew P500 from her account without telling her.

Ong said Cyra successfully brainwashed each of the complainants' minds by inventing stories against each other to promote her "modus operandi".

On Feb. 15, Ong said Cyra texted the complainants, including her grandmother, and instructed them to meet her at different banks in the city where she would pay them, but it was proven to be a hoax.

She said Cyra and her husband left their boarding house and have not returned to pay their debts until now.

Police reports said Cyra had swindled Helen Lacson, 41 of Villa Celia Subdivision of P20,000 in cash; Terry Panagsagan, 34, of Luzuriaga Extension - P5,000 in cash; Lourdes Batislaong, 58 - P38,000; Ana Mae Garces - P3,000 and Anamer Salazar - P5,000 in cash. The complainants said they suspect that "Bunny Alcantara" was one of the two persons who swindled Luz Dato-Lacson, a prominent Bacolod lawyer and civic leader at Burgos Street in the city Wednesday last week.

Meanwhile, the Bacolod police yesterday released the cartographic sketches of the couple with the help of one of the complainants for the public to be aware of them, Abalayan said.

"Cyra" is about 36 years old, of extra large build, and has a brown complexion. She stands about 5 feet to 3 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. She looks decent and often seen wearing a white T-shirt and maong short pants, police reports said.

"Bunny" is between 45 and 50 years old and also has a large build. He has a brown complexion, stands 5 feet and 6 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a blue jacket and maong pants, police reports said.

The couple both speak Tagalog with a Cebuano accent, police reports also said.*DMG

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