Those “budol-budol” victims

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Another case of “budol-budol”, the very ingenuous method of swindling that has victimized so many people in the Western Visayas lately, was reported again yesterday. It seems that not a single month passes without one or two cases being reported in the media, not only in Bacolod City but also in Dumaguete City.

The operation seems simple enough, and the modus operandi follows the same pattern. A prospective victim is approached by a man or woman, who claims to be a stranger and therefore without contacts in the city, and would like some help. The stranger would like to rent or hire a vehicle, could be a truck or a pick-up, to haul some cargo. While this is going on another person, maybe two, come along and show interest in helping out. Sometimes, there is an offer of a snack in a nearby eatery or fast-food outlet, and during this familiarization, a deal is cut. The group will entrust their “money” packed in a bag or box which they show to the victim to reassure him or her. Then they ask the victim to also put her money and jewelry or any valuable into the box, to show her own trust in them.

The group then leaves the box of “money” with the victim and tell her they will pursue the transaction for a vehicle, and return for their money later. The trusting one agrees and waits, and waits, and waits. When the group does not return, the victim ventures to look into the bag or box, and gets shocked to discover that it contains nothing but bundles of cut paper topped with a real bill or two, and nothing more. Even her own real money and jewelry are no longer there.

This kind of news has been reported over and over, and it seems strange that so many people still fall for it. There is some variation in the script at times, like when the swindlers talk about purchasing property and dangling big commissions to the victim. That is why, some law enforcers have said that, in many of the cases, greed on the part of the victim is a factor.

In the DAILY STAR, we had hoped that our constant publication of this kind of report would somehow make people aware about this operation. Radio reports have also focused on these cases, but alas! as the saying goes, about suckers, “There is one born every minute”. By underscoring this, we hope that none of our readers will henceforth fall prey to operations like this.*