Report: Suspected swindler taken into custody in Pasig

UPDATED 4:15 p.m. - A woman suspected of illegally pawning vehicles to different victims was taken into police custody after being surrounded and nearly mobbed by her "victims" while on her way to a court hearing in Pasig City on Tuesday. The police said Evangeline Protacio was under "protective custody" and not under arrest, as they did not have a copy of the warrant for her arrest. "Hindi ito arrested dahil wala tayong hawak na arrest warrant. Ang sabi ko sa complainant hanggang wala, pinoprotektahan ko dahil kukuyugin ng complainant," Pasig City police Senior Inspector Roderick Tonga said in an interview on dzBB radio. (We cannot arrest her yet because we do not have a copy of the warrant for her arrest. I told her complainants that until we can get a copy of the warrant, we will have to protect Protacio.) Tonga said Protacio was with her lawyer Manuel delas Alas when the suspect's "victims" blocked the path of their car at C-5 and surrounded them. Tonga said the tables may be turned on Protacio's "victims" who reportedly violated the suspect's rights when they blocked the path of her vehicle in a public place like C-5. Protacio was linked to a scam where she allegedly convinced owners of new vehicles to join her rent-a-car service. She allegedly issued post-dated checks and gave the registered owners monthly interest. She would then supposedly pawn the vehicles to unsuspecting clients. – VVP, GMANews.TV