CABANATUAN CITY – National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested a female palay trader who allegedly duped a number of grains dealers, supposedly amounting to about P300-million.
Lawyer Manuel Dimaano, chief of the NBI field office, said Lilian Cerrudo of Barangay Malasin, San Jose City, was arrested from her residence on the strength of a warrant of arrest for criminal case no. 2105-11-SJC issued by Judge Cynthia Florendo of San Jose City Regional Trial Court at about 5 p.m. Monday.
Dimaano said a complainant, identified as Elmer Villaroman, of San Jose City sought the help of NBI upon learning that the suspect was in her residence.
“We proceeded to the house of Cerrudo and effected the warrant,” Dimaano said.
He said his team also arrested a certain Isabelita Baguio, caretaker of Cerrudo’s house, for her obstruction of justice under Presidential Decree 1829 after she allegedly refused to allow them to search her house.
“Despite exhaustive and diplomatic means to persuade her to open the house, they failed and refused to comply,” he said, leaving them no option but to search the whole house.
He said follow up investigation showed that Cerrudo had six warrants of arrest from RTC Branch 39 in San Jose City and several others from different courts.
Dimaano said Cerrudo would get multi-million worth of palay from several traders in San Jose City and adjoining areas on agreement that these will be paid in three months. However, the suspect allegedly failed to pay the traders.
