Hi, My Name is...36

It's time to take a look at some new people. This time we shall read about the misadventures of foreigners in the Philippines where It's More Fun. Funnily enough most of these people are Nigerian.

Hi, my name is Christopher Chapel. I spent $22,000 for a cruise around the world. When we docked at Palawan I had a heat stroke and was taken to the hospital. But rather than wait for me the ship left me behind. The doctors also said I was too weak to fly to Manila so I had to take a 14 hour boat ride instead. Later I was able to catch a plane back to the UK.  Thankfully I had travel insurance so everything was covered. 

https://palawan-news.com/passenger-left-stranded-in-palawan-after-world-cruise-ship-departs-without-him/

A 72-year-old British man, Christopher Chapel, was left stranded in Palawan after a P&O Cruises ship departed without him.

Chapel spent $22,000 for a world trip, but his journey took an unexpected turn when he had signs of heat stroke while on board, according to cruiseradio.net in a report posted on April 25. During his medical examinations, he discovered that he had suffered a mild heat stroke. However, by then the ship had already departed.

Due to his condition, physicians declared him unfit to fly to Manila, so he was forced to travel by boat accompanied by medical personnel. After a 14-hour ship journey, they arrived in Manila, where they caught a flight back to the United Kingdom.

The report said it was “fortunate” that Chapel had travel insurance, which covered his medical expenses and travel arrangements. Although he missed the remainder of his world cruise, he was grateful for the assistance he received from the medical staff and the travel insurance company.

Hi, my name is being withheld. I am from Switzerland and I came to Palawan to visit for a few days. I have been there before. It is quite lovely. But when I arrived I found I had no money in my account! My pension was late. So I slept outside the ATM biding my time. Local resident helped me out by giving me cardboard to sleep on and food to eat. Local officials even bought my diabetes medicine after I ran out. Thankfully my money came on 5 days later on April 19th. 

https://palawan-news.com/swiss-national-rescued-by-city-tourism-after-sleeping-beside-atm-for-three-days/

A 70-year-old Swiss national who had been sleeping beside an ATM along Rizal Avenue for three days was rescued in Puerto Princesa City.

The predicament of the foreigner, whose name was not disclosed, was relayed to City Tourism Department (CTD) chief Demetrio Alvior Jr. last Sunday, April 16, by Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Jerry Alili, who was attending an event at the time at Filigans Hotel.

Alvior told Palawan News that he called the Tourist Police Unit (TPU) led by Capt. Rebecca Libarra, who responded promptly on the same day to rescue elderly traveler.

He was taken to the TPU office, where it was discovered that he had a problem with his pension that was meant to go into his account, which was why he was unable to withdraw from the ATM.

(He arrived in the Philippines on April 14, but upon arrival, he had no money. He was expecting money to go into his account, like his pension. The staff there insisted for him to sleep inside, but he felt embarrassed, so he just requested the staff of Filigans to secure his belongings.)

Alvior told Palawan News that the diabetic traveler was given food, drink, and cardboard to sleep on by tricycle drivers and other good Samaritans during his three-day stay by the ATM.

He would weep anytime someone offered to feed him, yet he would turn down the opportunity to sleep on a bed if it was presented to him because he wanted to wait for his money.

(He’s already quite old, and he’s diabetic. His feet were even swollen. That’s where I appreciate our tricycle drivers who gave him a cardboard to sleep on and gave him food. They said he cried heavily whenever he was given food.)

In addition to their office, Alvior said that the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) also provided him with food after his rescue by the tourist police, and the City Health Office (CHO) conducted a medical check-up and prescribed medication for his diabetes, taking care of his needs.

Alvior said, it was the CTD that purchased his diabetic medication since he had run out of supply.

He noted that the foreigner refused to leave, stating he still wants to see the city, Roxas town, Port Barton in San Vicente, and El Nido, even after they requested assistance from the Department of Tourism (DOT) in MIMAROPA to help in contacting the Swiss Embassy in the Philippines.

(He didn’t want to leave. He said he had been here before and found it beautiful and the people are nice. He mentioned that he still had many places to visit. Our staff assisted him and kept an eye on him, and his money arrived on April 19. The Department of Tourism MIMAROPA offered to pay for his accommodation while he didn’t have money, but he insisted on paying for it himself when he received his money.)

Hi, my name is being withheld. I am from Nigeria. Inside the lounge at a condominium I saw a nice beautiful girl doing her homework and I sat down next to her. I asked her about herself and showed her some sexy things on my phone. But she got nervous and ran off to tell her father about me. He called the police.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/23/22/nigerian-nabbed-for-alleged-sexual-harassment-of-17-year-old-girl

A 33-year-old Nigerian was apprehended by authorities for alleged sexual harassment of a 17-year-old girl in Quezon City on Saturday, police said.

The incident allegedly happened inside a lounge in a condominium in Barangay Bagbaga in Novaliches while the victim was doing her homework.

Police said that when the suspect arrived, he sat next to her and engaged her in a conversation.

He was allegedly relentless in asking for details that made the girl uncomfortable, and made some advances by showing sexual remarks or obscene messages he typed on his phone.

Nervous and frightened, the girl immediately ran home to tell her father what happened, prompting them to report the incident and seek police help. 

Hi, our names are  Augustine Onyekachi Nkowachi, Tosen Samuel Oguntoye, Chubuike Joseph Nwokoro, and Christopher Okeke. We were producing fake IDs. We only got found out because one of our girlfriends snitched on us. After being given fake IDs she was told to open up several bank accounts so we could move money related to an online scam we were involved in. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/447522/4-nigerians-nabbed-for-falsifying-govt-ids-others-docs

Four Nigerian nationals were arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation Cebu Division Office (NBI CEBDO) for allegedly falsifying government IDs and other documents to be used allegedly for online scams.

The NBI agents swooped down on a house in a subdivision in Barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City at past 3 p.m. on Monday, June 13, 2022, and arrested the four suspects.

They are identified as Augustine Onyekachi Nkowachi, Tosen Samuel Oguntoye, Chubuike Joseph Nwokoro, and Christopher Okeke.

The four will be facing charges of multiple counts of falsification of documents.

The operation was conducted after the girlfriend of one of the suspects sought the office’s assistance because she was allegedly persuaded by the suspects to facilitate the production of fake identification under her name.

After obtaining fake IDs, she was compelled by the suspects to open several bank accounts that will be used as means to facilitate transactions relating to an online scam.

NBI-CEBDO said that the suspects started their operation in April 2022, though, they were not released ATM cards by the banks yet, said Agent Atty. Niño Rodriguez.

Hi, my name is being withheld but I was the accomplace of a Nigerian who masterminded a romance scam. I contacted a man on Facebook and told him my name was “Janifer Natalia,” a US Army member assigned in Yemen. He fell for it hook, line, and sinker and we were able to scam him out of P400,000! If we had only not gotten so greedy he might not have contacted the cops. But he did so and we were busted in an entrapment operation.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1659600/nigerian-accomplice-face-raps-for-p400000-romance-scam

A suspected accomplice of a Nigerian involved in a “romance scam” was arrested in Tarlac City on Monday, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) of the Philippine National Police.

The statement, based on a report sent to the PNP officer in charge, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, did not identify the suspects nor the man who they allegedly swindled of P400,000.

“A romance scam,” the ACG statement said, “is a confidence trick involving feigned romantic intentions using goodwill to commit fraud.”

This scam, as reported by the complainant, developed for almost five months, according to Lt. Gen. Jose Chiquito Malayo, PNP deputy chief for administration.

According to the ACG suspect, the accomplice got in touch with the victim through Facebook Messenger, introducing herself as “Janifer Natalia,” a US Army member assigned in Yemen.

As their online friendship, starting all the way back to April 19, developed, Natalia messaged the victim that she was sending the victim a package containing $1.2 million.

Another person, using an unregistered number, began texting the victim on June 8. That person went by the name “Lucy Diaz,” supposedly an employee of the Bureau of Customs.

Lucy Diaz began sending the victim texts demanding payment for customs duties and surcharges for the release of the parcel.

“The victim believed that he was communicating with a real person. So he was convinced to send the money amounting to [P400,000 through] money wire transfer, e-wallet and bank transactions,” Malayo explained.

After paying the P400,000, Diaz still demanded more money, which finally pushed the victim to report the crime to ACG.

The accomplice was arrested in an entrapment operation in Tarlac City, right after the victim handed over the money.

The arrested suspect said it was the Nigerian who was posing as Janifer Natalia.

According to the PNP statement, they will be charged for using fictitious names and swinding/estafa under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

Hi, my name is Mac-Davis Bede Chuka. I used to be a high value drug target but then I got caught by the PNP. They busted me with high-grade Kush, shabu, rolling papers, money, and a pistol. Now I'm just another busted drug dealer.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1185524

Anti-narcotics operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) seized close to PHP8.9 million worth of illegal drugs from eight drug suspects, including a Nigerian national, in separate buy-busts in the provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Metro Manila.

In a report, Southern Police District (SPD) director Col. Kirby John Kraft said Nigerian Mac-Davis Bede Chuka, 28, a.k.a Okoro, a high-value target, was arrested during a drug sting by the District Drug Enforcement Unit in Barangay Western Bicutan, Taguig City on Thursday.

Seized from the suspect were three plastic sachets containing around 13 grams of dried leaves with fruiting tops suspected to be high-grade marijuana/kush worth PHP18,200, two plastic sachets containing 10 grams of shabu weighing more or less 10 grams worth PHP 68,000 digital weighing scale, grinder, a small box of rolling paper, caliber .45 pistol, two .caliber 45 magazines loaded with seven live ammunition, belt bag, boodle money utilized as the buy-bust money.

Hi, our names are Ikenna Onouha and Jacel Ann Paderan. I met a nice Filipina online and introduced myself as a Turkish national named "Demir Balik". I made a lot of promsies that she gullibly believed. I even convicned her to send me over P2 million. But when I asked for more that was when she got suspicious and alerted the cops. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1187641

Police arrested a Nigerian national and his cohort who are involved in an internet love scam worth PHP2.2 million in Bacoor City, Cavite.

In a statement on Thursday, Lt. Michael Bernardo, team leader of Quezon City District Anti Cybercrime Team said Ikenna Onouha, 37, Nigerian national; Jacel Ann Paderan, 28, were arrested in an operation by QCDACT and the Quezon City District Special Operation Unit personnel in Molino, Bacoor City, Cavite on Nov. 1.

The suspects have pending arrest warrants for swindling/estafa issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 230.

The case stemmed from the complaint of Onuoha’s victim whom he met at a dating site.

The victim claimed that her relationship with the suspect started in April 2020. The suspect then introduced himself as a Turkish national named "Demir Balik".

In the course of their virtual relationship, the victim said the suspect made a lot of promises which she believed.

The suspect managed to convince the victim to send him money, totaling PHP2,282,000.

Police said the money was sent to the bank accounts of Paderan and a certain Cristine Mae Elizares.

The victim said Onuoha told her that he has a dormant account in a bank in the United Kingdom and that he needs money to settle it.

“When the suspect asked for more money from the victim, it was then that she realized that she was being conned and decided to report the incident to our office,” Bernardo said.

Hi, my name is Nnaemeka Nwoke, alias Eggy. I have links to the West African Drug Syndicate which operates all the way over here in the Phillippines. I got busted for trying to sell drugs to an undercover cop. They siezed all my ecstasy, shabu, and cocaine which was valued at more then P5 million. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1710758/nigerian-man-nabbed-for-over-p5m-assorted-drugs-in-las-pinas-city

A Nigerian man believed to be linked to the West African Drug Syndicate (WADS) was arrested in Las Piñas City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Friday.

NCRPO Regional Director Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said suspect Nnaemeka Nwoke, alias Eggy, 36, was arrested after he tried to sell illegal drugs to undercover police officers during a bust led by the Southern Police District (SPD) on Thursday inside a subdivision in Barangay (village) Talon 5.

Seized from Nwoke were suspected ecstasy tablets, shabu (crystal meth), and cocaine. The seized drugs, police said is valued at P5.423 million.

The NCRPO said Nwoke is now detained at the SPD headquarters pending the filing of complaints for violations of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.  The pieces of evidence meanwhile were turned over to SPD’s Crime Laboratory.

Hi, my name is Emmanuel Chinedu Ejike. I am another Nigerian who was also a high value drug target. But the cops caught me during a buy-bust operation. Now I'm just another black male in jail for selling drugs.  

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1728032/nigerian-nabbed-over-p136000-shabu-in-angeles-city

Policemen arrested a Nigerian man who allegedly yielded some P136,000 worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) during an anti-illegal drug operation late Wednesday, Feb. 8, at Ninoy Aquino village in nearby Angeles City.

Angeles City police director Colonel Juritz Rara identified in a statement  the arrested suspect as Emmanuel Chinedu Ejike, 27, of Camachiles village in this city.

Rara said the Nigerian is a “high-value individual” on the police list of drug personalities.

At past 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Angeles City police, with operatives from the province and region, conducted the buy-bust operation against the suspect.

Lawmen allegedly confiscated from Ejike some 20 grams of suspected shabu and recovered the marked P1,000-bill placed atop the nine pieces of “boodle” (play) P1,000 bills.

Rara said Ejike faces charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Hi, my name is Felix Briggs. Unlike the other Nigerians mentioned above I was not busted for drugs or for a romance scam. Instead I was busted for overstaying my visa. I thought I was off the hook really. After all, it took 15 months for the BI to enforce their deportation order. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1198251

An overstaying Nigerian national who has been on the Bureau of Immigration's (BI) wanted list for more than a year was recently arrested in Pasig City.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Monday that 32-year-old Felix Briggs was apprehended inside a condominium by agents from the bureau’s intelligence division last March 13.

The foreigner was arrested 15 months after he was ordered deported by the BI board of commissioners for overstaying.

“We call on other foreigners who are wanted for deportation by our bureau. Stop hiding because the long arm of the law will catch you sooner or later,” the BI chief said in a statement.

The arresting agents were armed with a warrant of deportation that Tansingco issued pursuant to a summary deportation order the BI issued against Briggs on Dec. 21, 2021.

He added that Briggs will be included in the bureau’s blacklist of aliens, effectively banning him from reentering the country.

The foreign national will be deported as soon as the BI secures his travel document and the required clearances for his deportation from the National Bureau of Investigation.