Retired Judge Paredes gets P100K back from LandBank

ABOUT a week after he lost P100,000 in unauthorized automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawals, retired Judge Meinrado Paredes got the full amount back from the Land Bank of the Philippines-Capitol Branch.

The amount, he said, was fully restored at 10 a.m. today (Wednesday).

“I thank Land Bank-Capitol Branch for the quick restoration of my money. The Capitol Branch is very polite, accommodating and cooperative,” Paredes told Cebu Daily News.

Paredes filed an affidavit before the bank to narrate the facts about the case.

Other depositors who fell victim to the series of ATM skimmings may likely get their refunds.

Paredes is among those who filed a complaint against the three Romanian nationals who were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation in relation to the ATM skimming in Cebu.

Charged before the prosecutors’ office were Ionut alessandrou Mitrache, Ion Costel, and Stancu Razvan Aurelian.

At least 50 depositors claimed to be victims of unauthorized ATM withdrawals in Cebu.

Mitrcahe, Costel, and Stancu were arrested by agents of the NBI-7 last March 17 after their facial features matched those of the suspects who allegedly installed skimming devices at the ATMs of Land Bank of the Philippines.

The NBI was able to get a copy of the footage of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed near at least three ATMs of Land Bank of the Philippines in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.

The footages showed the suspects using a red Ford Mustang sports car with a conduction sticker marked IO1414.

Records of the Land Transportation Office traced the vehicle to the Cebu City condominium where the suspects were staying.

Found inside the suspects’ two rooms were 45 card reader micro chips, two laptops, and “cloned” ATM cards.

Also recovered was a polo shirt which appeared to be the same clothing worn by one of the skimmers as captured by the CCTV.

The NBI also confiscated the suspects’ red Ford Mustang sports car.

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