In Pasay, a man was arrested for posing as a lawyer
FAKE ATTORNEY – A man in Pasay City was arrested for posing as a lawyer.
The victim, who paid over P500,000, reported the incident to Unang Balita. The suspect, identified as Robert P. Garcia, introduced himself to the victim as Atty. Robert SP Garcia. However, the Supreme Court’s Lawyers’ List as of January 20, 2024, does not have anyone named Robert SP Garcia or Robert P. Garcia.
The victim sought a lawyer for a case and was referred to the suspect by someone they knew. The suspect claimed fees for legal services, totaling P541,000, including an appearance fee of P60,000. In December, the suspect requested an additional appearance fee of P120,000, which the victim paid half of. The victim became suspicious when the suspect asked for a Christmas gift worth P60,000, leading them to seek a second opinion from another lawyer.
“Christmas gift po na worth P60,000. Tapos umalma po ako. Bumaba ‘yun ng 30 [thousand], hanggang sa naging 20 [thousand], pero hindi po ako nagbigay. Tapos pina-check ko na po siya sa ibang abogado. Nagpa-second opinion na po kami,” the victim said.
Upon investigation, it was revealed that many documents provided by the suspect, including notarized ones and IDs, were fake. Unaware of the legal process, the victim continued to comply. The suspect was cornered when the victim, with the help of the police, arrested him at a Pasay City coffee shop.
The suspect confessed to not passing the Bar examination and admitted to presenting himself as a consultant, not a lawyer. He also revealed that the person who referred him was involved in the scheme. The suspect’s convincing speech and appearance led the victim to believe he was a lawyer. Consequently, the suspect is facing charges of swindling and estafa. Police Captain Dennis Desalisa, head of the Pasay City Police Investigation Section, emphasized the suspect’s deceptive tactics.
