A Filipino security guard has been arrested for providing high-interest loans to two female compatriots and withholding their passports, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Ka Weng said during a special press conference yesterday.
Ho identified the suspect, surnamed Diaz, as a 32-year-old Philippine non-resident worker (NRW).
According to Ho, the two female victims reported to the Judiciary Police on September 17 that they had borrowed money from Diaz and had their passports withheld as security.
A PJ investigation found that between February and April this year, the two women borrowed 2,500 patacas and 7,500 patacas from Diaz respectively. He charged monthly interest of 10 percent until the principals were repaid in full and required the women to surrender their passports as collateral.
The two victims had paid Diaz 850 patacas and 1,220 patacas in interest respectively, Ho said.
Ho added that police officers subsequently identified Diaz as the suspect and intercepted him in the Areia Preta district at about noon on Tuesday. He refused to cooperate during questioning.
Ho also said there were strong indications that Diaz had committed the offences of usury and improper retention of others’ identity documents.
The case has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) for follow-up. At the same time, the Judiciary Police are continuing to investigate the whereabouts of the withheld documents and whether there are other potential victims.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded Filipino loan-sharking suspect from the PJ headquarters in Zape to a PJ vehicle en route to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday. – Photo: Sherwin Hng
