Ex-PBA player sued for pawning stolen car

MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player Mark Reynan Cardona is facing complaints after he allegedly pawned a stolen Subaru Forester sport utility vehicle for P300,000 in Pasay City.

Michelle Flores filed charges of estafa and violation of Presidential Decree 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law against Cardona before the Pasay prosecutor’s office last week.

Superintendent Jonathan Calixto, who heads the Highway Patrol Group’s (HPG) Task Force Limbas, said Flores surrendered the SUV to the police after she learned from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) it is included in the list of stolen vehicles.

“We are waiting for the resolution and warrant of arrest,” Calixto said in an interview with reporters yesterday.

In a sworn statement submitted to the HPG, Flores said Cardona pawned the vehicle to her last Nov. 13, 2017 for P300,000 and promised to pay the amount at the end of the month with 20-percent interest.

However, when Flores  asked Cardona on the date of payment, the basketball player said he still had no money.

Calixto said they learned the vehicle was reported stolen or missing by a certain Jarwin Uy, who sold the SUV to car dealers Mark Macapagal and Cesar Young in exchange for P420,000.

Uy informed the police about his vehicle after the car dealers failed to pay the agreed amount.

Calixto said they  are investigating how the vehicle ended up with Cardona.