3 fake gold sellers nabbed in Cebu City pension house

Three men were arrested for refusing to settle their bills after a three-day stay in a pension house in Cebu City.

Police later found out that Romeo Canoy Malisi, 52, a resident of barangay Babag; Edgar Patawan Sab-Puan, a 43-year-old native of Malagas, Davao City; and Robert Tampong Payan, 44, a native of Lawis, Digos City, were involved in selling fake gold bars.

Police discovered the illegal activity after they recovered a fake gold bar and some chemicals in their room.

Romeo Malisi show to reporter the gold bars confiscated from them by CIB with him is Edgar Sab-pua and Robert Payan, (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Malisi is a former bodyguard of Babag barangay captain Cesar Dolorito. He figured in a shootout with a group of armed men, who tried to kill the village official, last March.

Malisi was previously jailed for kidnapping charges.

Dolorito said he fired Malisi after learning that the man was involved in illegal activities.

Perla Piguez, owner of West View Homes Pension House in Sabellano Street in barangay Basak-San Nicolas, sought help from the City Intelligence Branch after the three men refused to settle their bills amounting to P2,000 on Wednesday night.

Police said the three men, before their arrest, were supposed to meet a buyer who agreed to pay P1 million for a “gold bar. The buyer did not know it was fake.

“Kwarta-kwarta ra ni ang amoa. Kon naay mailad og magpailad, makakwarta mi (We are just trying to earn. If we can dupe someone, that’s money for us),” Malisi said.

Malisi said his two companions from Mindanao were the ones who delivered the fake gold bar. His role was to look for buyers .

Malisi said they target those who came from abroad.