The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Tuesday raided a bogus Tesda training office and arrested five persons in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.
CIDG Region 3 chief Col. Norberto Delmas identified the suspects as office caretaker Maria Melody Aguila, 49, of Bangad, Cabanatuan City; trainor Michael Baguisi, 36, of Matadero, Cabanatuan City; office secretary Melanie Vistan, 26, of Bangad, Cabanatuan City; liason officer Jalin Eustaquio, 28, of Bangad Cabanatuan City; Mark Francis Lina, 23 years old, of Matadero, Cabanatuan City.
Delmas said the raid was launched at Purok Fortaleza, Bgy. Bangad, Cabanatuan City based on the complaint of Chanda Balanan de Paz and eight others who said the suspects introduced themselves as employees of YTMK Global Training Center and Assessment School accredited by TESDA.
The complainants said the company issued them fake Tesda certificates, one of their requirements as overseas Filipino workers.
Authorities seized in the raid a laptop, a printer, a WiFi router, a dry seal, application forms, training certificates, and P1,000 marked money on top of P34,000 boodle money.
The five suspects were brought to the PFU Nueva Ecija and will be charged with syndicated estafa.
Meanwhile, another estafa suspect on Tuesday was arrested in Zambales.
Delmas said Elvin Rabang, 49, of Barangay San Pascual, San Narciso, Zambales, was nabbed based on a warrant issued by the San Jose, Nueva Ecija RTC Branch 39 in Bgy. Libertad.
Rabang is now detained at the San Jose municipal police.