CAMP OLIVAS – Three foreign nationals on Monday night were nabbed for skimming an ATM machine at BPI Family Bank located along Mac Arthur Hi-way, Brgy San Agustin, City of San Fernando.
Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, identified the three foreign nationals as Radu Minodor Sandor, 43, Nicaraguan; Marcu Bogdan, 26, Italian and Petro Ioan Uveged, 44, Romanian, a holder of a Hungarian passport under the name Balazs Varga, married to a Filipina identified as Michelle Trajano with whom he has two sons.
Aquino said the three were caught in the act withdrawing money from the ATM machine of said bank using several ATM clone cards.
Seized from the suspects were skimming device, assorted ATM cloning cards, cash money amounting to P339,362.65; white Toyota Wigo with conduction sticker VQ 8261 and 152 ATM clone cards.
A case of Violation of RA 8484 known as Access Device Regulation Act and Violation of section 33 of RA 8792 or E-commerce law have been charged against them.
Aquino said, police in the region have coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for verification of the suspects’ status as they may be involved in an international syndicate engaged in ATM card fraud.
“Let me also take this opportunity to remind the public to be more cautious in withdrawing their hard earned money in the ATM machines. There are several advisories and precautionary measures as well as safety tips being issued by the Bankers Association of the Philippines and commercial banks that the public may put into use to prevent them from being victims of similar incidents,” Aquino reminded the public.
“Ang maayos at masigasig na pagpapatupad ng batas, pagsawata sa lahat ng uri ng kriminalidad at pagpapanatili ng kaayusan, katahimikan at kapayapaan ng sambayanan ay tungkuling walang humpay na ginagampanan ng kapulisan, ngunit ang kapulisan ay magiging matagumpay lamang sa tulong ng iba’t-ibang sektor ng lipunan,” he further added. — with reports from Froilan Magtoto