Woman charged for estafa

CEBU, Philippines — A woman is now facing charges before the court for allegedly converting into her personal use and benefit the P5.5 million she received supposedly to pay for franchise fee, representation fee, and to process the franchises of 20 taxi units.

The complainant, Jesselito Quirante, a resident of Barangay Banilad, Cebu City, said in his complaint, that in 2017, he thought of going into a taxi business.

When the accused, Asuncion Sarol, who engaged in the business of facilitating vehicle registration, learned about it, she told him she had had many connections at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and could help him secure a franchise.

Quirante alleged he gave P5,540,000 to Sarol on January 23, 2017. When he made follow-ups, Sarol allegedly gave him many reasons for the delay.

Sensing something was wrong, he went to the LTFRB and learned that they did not receive any application for a taxi franchise within Cebu and other provinces.

Quirante told Sarol but the latter told him she cannot return the entire amount since she entrusted it to a facilitator. She can only returned her commission of P240,000.

Sarol, in her counter-affidavit, denied she committed estafa. She alleged Quirante knew that her business was facilitating vehicle registration. She claimed that there was no pretense or misrepresentation on her part when she accepted Quirante's request.

Sarol added that she was not the source of the unending assurance but merely a conveyor.

Prosecutor Naruzen Delfin-Lorete recommended the filing of estafa against Sarol.

"Now, having received the money and yet not applied it to the purpose agreed upon presumes that respondent squandered it for her personal use. Moreover, the issues she threw as her defense are evidentiary nature to which the court has to resolve after trial," the resolution read.

Sarol filed a motion for reconsideration but it was denied.

Lorete recommended a P54,000 bail for Sarol's temporary liberty. — BRP (FREEMAN)