Radio announcer nabbed for swindling, forecasting lotto result.
MANILA, Philippines - A block timer radio commentator in Opol, Misamis Oriental was arrested for swindling.
Suspect Joseph Labaya, known on air as “Jack Pineda” in local AM station “DXCO Philradio,” was caught in an entrapment operation launched by Misamis Oriental police.
Pineda was arrested after locals complained of his fraudulent scheme called “Suertres Club.”
In the scheme, listeners who want to receive a “daily forecast” of the winning Lotto numbers via SMS were required to pay a fee of not less than one thousand pesos.
PO2 Gil Agne Jr. said that some of the people convinced by Labaya ended up selling some of their belongings just to join the club.
So far, no one from the club has won the lottery.
Asked how he comes up with the daily forecast, Labaya said: “That's what you call perseverance. We analyze the numbers, we really work on it.”
Money order receipts addressed to Labaya amounting to more than P60,000 and a notebook containing an extensive member database were recovered from the suspect's possession.
The police believe that the integrity of his chosen medium is the reason Labaya was able to conduct his fraudulent act.
Labaya's 15-minute a day broadcast on the radio only costs him a blocktime fee of
P7,000 a month.
Source:
Primy Cane
ABS-CBN News Northern Mindanao
