22 arrested for Ilocos Norte telecom fraud

By Erwin Beleo

CAMP OSCAR FLORENDO, La Union – Thirteen Taiwanese, two Chinese, and seven Filipino helpers were arrested by personnel of the police’s Anti-Cybercrime Group for alleged ‘telecom fraud’ in sitio 1 Barangay Medina, Dingras, Ilocos Norte, police reported Tuesday (Oct. 24, 2018) here.

This camp reported that the suspects were allegedly conducting illegal outbound calls going to China.

Chief Supet. Romulo E Sapitula, regional director of Police Regional Office 1, identified the Taiwanese and Chinese suspects as Wu Pei Yu, Juan Wang, Lien Teng Yu, Chen Feng Tsai, Wei Han Lai, Shao Wei Zeng, Zeng Hui, Chiahui Sun, Chin Kai Lai, Jun Zer Chen, Liang Ou Chun, Shao Wei Wu, Jhih Hong Chen, Chin Jen Huang and Shu-Cheng Wu.

The Filipino suspects were Ronald Allan Santos, Eduardo Gabutan, Edwin Ronquillo and Michael Santos, all of Valenzuela City; Christian Gach Malaqui of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte and Rocino Velarde of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

The suspects were arrested during a raid in their warehouse where various communication items such as assorted computers, telephones, 52 slot machines, other paraphernalia used in their illegal activities were seized.

There were also certificates of discharge from jail for violation of Republic Act 9165.

The raid was initiated by members of the Anti-Cybercrime Group from Camp Crame after they received a complaint from the Chinese government, whom they did not specify, on the illegal activity of the suspects.

It was learned that the suspects have been conducting the illegal operation for more than two years.

Sapitula said the illegal activity, which is being done inside a warehouse, is in violation of the Anti-Cyber Crime Law (RA 10175). This was implemented through a search warrant issued by Maria Victoria A Soriano- Villadolid, presiding judge of regional trial court branch 24 in Manila.

The suspects were brought to Camp Crame while an inventory of the confiscated equipment is still being conducted by policemen.