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MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested seven individuals who allegedly posed as property owners and lawyers to swindle victims out of millions of pesos, leading to the dismantling of a “sangla-kolekta” (pawn-and-collect) syndicate in Taguig City.
In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, NBI spokesperson lawyer Palmer Mallari said NBI agents nabbed the suspects in an entrapment operation inside a bogus law office in Barangay West Rembo.
Mallari said four of the suspects pretended to be property owners and agents, while three acted as lawyers who signed mortgage documents to scam victims.
“When you believe the [scammers], they will mortgage the property to you, and you will start to expect profit. But only for you to discover that the ones who actually transacted with you are not really the owners or not really agents, but only assumed the names,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
