NBI-CAR busts two-women member scamming syndicate

BAGUIO CITY (March 7, 2025) -- National Bureau of Investigation-Cordillera Administrative Region (NBI-CAR) agents cornered a two-women membered syndicate that used the name of an already retired lady Supreme Court Justice and a lady La Union Regional Trial Court Judge to wring money supposedly to fix land ownership issues with local courts.

An 81-year old woman from San Juan, La Union fell first in an entrapment operation Wednesday afternoon, then the brains, a 63 year old woman, also from San Juan, La Union, was caught Thursday afternoon, said NBI-CAR regional director Atty. Paul Moises.

Last Monday, March 3, 2025, the syndicate’s victim --a 72 year old ailing woman, and her husband – together with the retired lady RTC Judge sought NBI assistance because apparently

the couple were being “forced” by the 81 year old woman to shell out P50,000 to complete the P80,000.00 they were demanding as initial payment to be sent to the retired SC Justice and retired RTC Judge supposedly to facilitate the couple’s land issue at the court.

The 72-year old ailing woman victim admitted she had already shelled out P30,000 to the 81-year old woman, but the latter was inducing her to complete the initial P80,000.00 “otherwise her initial P30,000.00 payment will be forfeited.

The syndicate initially asked for P200,000.00.

‘This is where the intimidation comes in’, said NBI-CAR lawyer Romano Pangan, agent-on-case of the two-day entrapment operation since Wednesday. 

Both the women syndicate members will be sued for robbery with intimidation in violation of Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code, a bailable offense though, the NBI-CAR said.

The lady retired La Union RTC Judge said she wants to teach the syndicate members “a hard lesson,” though the 81 year old woman claimed she only wanted to help the couple’s court woes and did not know the scheme was purely a scam. She added she has referred at least five “clients” to the 63-year old woman, whom she claimed she received orders and instructions from.

The 63-year old syndicate brains, who was also booked after her arrest, begged off to issue any statement.