TAYABAS CITY, Quezon — A senior citizen lost nearly ₱553,000 worth of cash, jewelry, and a cellphone after she was allegedly victimized by a suspected “budol-budol” gang, as captured on CCTV footage in Brgy. San Roque Zone II, this city, on Wednesday, March 25.
The incident, which occurred in broad daylight, showed a group of unidentified individuals believed to have worked together to deceive the victim.
In the footage obtained by authorities, two men—one dressed in black and another wearing a blue shirt and a cap—appeared to be acting as lookouts, while another suspect accompanied the victim to her residence, where the incident later took place.
According to investigator Police Senior Master Sergeant Jomer Quinio, the victim was approached by one of the suspects who pretended to be the daughter of her high school classmate. The suspect then persuaded the victim to return to her residence to receive a supposed package allegedly sent from abroad as “pasalubong.”
Moments later, the victim was seen carrying a red grocery bag containing her valuables, which were subsequently taken by the suspects. The stolen items were estimated to be worth nearly ₱553,000.
The suspects were later seen fleeing with the victim’s belongings.
The victim was eventually left alone in front of a community hospital along C.M. Recto Street.
Further review of the CCTV footage revealed that two separate vehicles, allegedly bearing fake plate numbers, were used in the incident.
Authorities are currently investigating the case and reviewing the footage to identify the suspects and determine the sequence of events.
Police also reminded the public, especially senior citizens, to remain vigilant against “budol-budol” scams, which commonly involve deception and distraction to defraud victims.| – Kurt Zubieta, BNN-Community Correspondents Network
