The National Bureau of Investigation announced on Monday the arrest of two people in an entrapment operation in Intramuros, Manila on May 29.
NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor identified the suspects as Avi Siwa and her mother, Glorina Juliana Carandang. They were arrested for violation of R.A. 9711, or the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009.
Suspect Avi Siwa, a.k.a. Abegail Siwa, a.k.a. Avigail J. Siwa, and a.k.a. Avigail Julian Siwa and suspect Glorina Julian Carandang, and other unidetified suspects were recommended for prosecution before the Office of Prosecutor of Manila for violation of Section 11 of R.A. 9711, FDA Circular 2020-004 dated March 2020 and FDA Advisory 2020-498 dated April 1, 2020, in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and violation of Article 315 (Estafa) of the Revised Penal Code, as amended.
Distor said the case against Siwa stemmed from a complaint filed on May 12, 2020.
In the complaint, Siwa allegedly required complainant for a down payment of P4.6 million, for a promise to deliver 10,000 sacks of rice amounting to P16.6 million in Cebu City on May 4, 2020.
After complainant settled in cash the above down payment, Siwa failed to comply with her promise. Despite exhaustive efforts to reach her, Siwa evaded to communicate with complainant, the com[plaint said.
Under the direct supervision of the NBI, and using the name Jane Suarez, complainant tried to message Siwa thru Facebook on May 17, 2020 upon seeing the latter’s post about the arrival of 10,000 test kits.
On May 27, 2020, Siwa responded to complainant and offered to her various merchandise such as Rapid Test Kits, Face Masks, Sanitation Sprays, Face Shields, Gloves, PPEs, and Rice.
Siwa set to meet with complainant at about 2:00 in the afternoon of May 29, 2020 in Intramuros, Manila, for the purchase of 120 pieces of Rapid Test Kits at P650.00 per piece or a total of P78,000.00, and 6,000 sacks of Sider Denorado Rice and 3,000 sacks of Sifer Golden Rice, amounting to P12,195,000.00 in all.
In the entrapment operation organized by the operatives of the NBI-IOD, the two suspects were arrested upon their receipt of the payment for the 120 pieces of Rapid Test Kits.