The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has nabbed three Filipinos working alongside six Indian nationals for alleged carnapping and syndicated estafa through an “assume balance-talon” modus.
The Filipinos were identified as Teotima Batutay, Rose Torion, and Michael Castulo; the six Indians are Sajjan Sarkar, Sai Charan, Kulvatnh Thati, Gayatri Sarma, Ray Anand, and Nithiin Kamepalli. They were captured during an entrapment operation in a casino hotel in Parañaque City on June 24.
A complainant reached out to authorities in an endeavor to recover his vehicle. He disclosed that he was unable to pay the monthly amortization for it and so offered it up for “assume balance,” also known as “pasalo.” This practice entails turning over an asset to another party who will take over the remaining payments due.
The said vehicle was taken in by McCars and passed to Batutay, who purportedly sold it to Castulo. Together with Sarkar, Castulo mortgaged the vehicle to Anand for ₱120,000.
Having handed off the vehicle, the complainant failed to return it when the amortizations remained unpaid. This prompted PSBank, which had financed the vehicle, to take legal action.
The complainant was able to contact Castulo, requesting that he return the vehicle. However, he demanded ₱450,000 in exchange, or he would resort to dismantling the car and selling its parts separately (chop chop). He would later lower the demand to ₱250,000, but by then, the complainant had already sought the assistance of the NBI-NCR.
The NBI-NCR agents were able to arrest all suspects mentioned, who are allegedly members of a syndicate behind “assume balance-talon” schemes. They were presented for inquest proceedings.
NBI Director Judge Jaime B. Santiago commended the NBI-NCR personnel for successfully arresting the said suspects and retrieving the complainant’s vehicle.
The public was cautioned against such unscrupulous individuals. Santiago advised that they practice more vigilance in their financial transactions.
