2 men nabbed over P364,000 ‘sangla-kolekta’ condo scam in Pasay

MANILA, Philippines — Two men allegedly posing as condominium owners in Pasay City were arrested by police over a “sangla-kolekta” (pawn-and-collect) scam that sought to swindle P364,000 from a victim, the Southern Police District (SPD) said Tuesday.

The SPD said operatives from the Pasay City Police Station Sub-Station 10 apprehended the suspects, identified by their aliases “Raymundo” and “Joey,” both 45, inside a mall restaurant late Monday night.

The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by a 33-year-old victim who lost an initial P300,000 to the suspects last week under an allegedly fraudulent loan and condominium rental agreement. Police noted that the victim discovered that the suspects were not the registered owners of the property.

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READ: Filipinos targeted by scams almost every 2 days, report says

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The SPD shared that the victim coordinated with authorities to set a trap, scheduling a follow-up meeting with the suspects under the guise of handing over an additional P64,000 investment.

“At approximately 11:20 p.m. on August 17, 2026, as the suspects accepted the marked money inside a restaurant, waiting police operatives immediately moved in and executed the arrest,” the police said in a press release.

The police then recovered the P64,000 buy-bust cash, several identification cards, and two smartphones used in the transaction.

READ: NBI busts ‘sangla-kolekta’ syndicate in Taguig

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The SPD added that it is preparing formal estafa complaints for inquest proceedings against the suspects.

In the same press release, SPD Director Glenn Cinco warned the public against the scheme, urging prospective renters and investors to verify property ownership directly with official building management before making financial agreements.

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The National Bureau of Investigation earlier explained that under the sangla-kolekta scam, scammers posing as property owners or agents usually offer victims the mortgage of a residential property.

In exchange for their cash investment, victims are promised monthly rental income collected from the property’s supposed tenants. However, the scammers would typically vanish and cut contact after receiving the payout.  Andre Esguerra, INQUIRER.net trainee /jpv