BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
MDNN NATIONAL NEWS – Just as operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are currently investigating an alleged scam involving actor Luis Manzano and his partner, a scammer was arrested by authorities in Taguig.
The police identified the suspect as Mikaela Veronica Cabrera, 26. She was snatched by the raiding policemen inside a condominium at the corner of McKinley Parkway and 26th street in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City on Friday, February 3.
Initial investigation disclosed that the alleged con artist duped millions of money from her unsuspecting victims.
Cabrera would identify herself as an owner of a fashion styling company in a dating app. She would allegedly tell her supposed victims that her company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and she needed investors.
The suspect would promise her victims an interest of 20-30 percent. Unfortunately, based on the testimonies of her victims the suspect was not true to her promises and she would not also return the investments of her victims.
Southern Police District (SPD) spokesperson Maj. Hazel Asilo told the media that the warrant of arrest was served by two police officers, for violating Batas Pambansa 22, the Bouncing Check Law.
Judge Clemente Clemente of the Makati Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 127 issued the warrant of arrest on October 27, 2022, it was learned.
FLEX FUEL SCAM
Meanwhile, actor Luis Manzano is now ‘in hot water’ after five investors filed their formal complaint at the NBI in Manila, linking Manzano and his partner Ildefonso “Bong” Medel to the alleged investment scheme.
Jinky Sta Isabel, spokesperson of the four other complainants said in an interview with GMA integrated News that it was Manzano, the alleged former company chairman of Flex Fuel, who convinced them to join during a Zoom conference, which Manzano himself facilitated.
“Nung umpisa palang. Syempre Luis Manzano yan. Kilala yan ng lipunan. Ang projected ba income ay bali P70,000 quarterly. Parang malaking tulong po yun sa aming pangkaraniwang tao,” Sta Isabel narrated.
She claimed she was convinced to invest her hard-earned savings of P990,000 because of Manzano being part owner and chairman of Flex Fuel.
“Nagtitinda ako. Inipon ko yung pera tapos bigla nalang mawala? Paano nalang ang kinabukasan ng anak ko?,” the complainant added crying.
Meanwhile, Atty. Giselle Garcia-Dumlao also told a TV network that there were two separate cases filed in their office regarding the alleged Flex Fuel scam.
“Merong dalawang separate cases na nai-file dito sa NBI. Yung isa, si Luis (Manzano) yung nagrereklamo. Yun namang isa ay si Luis (Manzano) naman ang inirereklamo,” the NBI spokesperson said.
IN DENIAL
The beleaguered actor denied his involvement into the P100-million investment scheme, pinpointing to a certain Alfonso Medel as the person handling the management and operation of Flex Fuel.
Manzano’s lawyer Regidor Caringal, reports said, sent a letter to NBI Director Atty. Medardo de Lemos, that the actor Luis Manzano resigned as chairman of Flex Fuel in February 2022.
Manzano’s lawyer also told the NBI director that Medel’s company even owed his client, Luis Manzano, a total of P66-million.
“I never took part in the management of the business. Bong conducted the business in such a way that operational matters were kept away from me,” Manzano explained.
Earlier, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a certification, informing the public that there are petroleum companies that are allegedly selling securities even if they have no license to sell supposedly issued by SEC.
The SEC, in its certification, identified the following companies as PetroMobil, FlexFuel, Jeafer Fuel, Maximum Fuel, Power Fill, Nirvana Fuel Corp., Marz Fuel, Ofir Petroleum, Astral Fuel, and iFuel.
