2 priests to sue Ford employee named Jesus over botched Ranger Raptor deal

September 27,2019

PHOTO / FORD DUMAGUETE’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

THEY wanted to buy a Ford Ranger Raptor.

Instead, the two priests from the Diocese of Dumaguete are set to sue an employee of Ford Dumaguete — identified as Jesus “Jepoy” Continente — for qualified theft after close to P360,000 was lost in a sales deal that had gone awry.

Fr. Christian Durango and his older brother, Fr. Onesimo “Onie” Durango, said suing Continente is their last resort after finding out the latter had “pocketed” the money intended for their purchase.

The priests said they discovered last Aug. 15 that, except for the reservation fee of P20,000 which they paid for five months ago when the transaction started, the rest of the money they paid through Continente was not remitted to Ford Dumaguete.

Christian, who visited the Ford Dumaguete showroom on Wednesday afternoon, told the branch manager, Sheila Omaguing, they might also consider including the dealership in the suit for alleged lapses.

He said the deal started on April 15 when Onie, who had applied to buy a vehicle, went to Ford Dumaguete and was entertained by Continente, who accepted the P20,000 reservation fee for the Ranger Raptor.

Continente supposedly told Onie that he had to pay a 15% down payment for the vehicle so he could be on the priority list.

On May 3, Onie, accompanied by Christian, returned and gave Continente P268,000, representing the 15% down payment in a transaction that was done inside Ford Dumaguete.

On May 30, Continente contacted Onie via mobile phone that an additional P70,500, representing an additional 5% down payment, was needed.

He told the priest he would come by the following day to pick it up at the Paniabonan, Mabinay Parish Convent in Mabinay, Negros Oriental, since he was going on fieldwork that day.

Christian said his brother gave Continente the additional down payment in the afternoon of May 31.

After waiting for months without word of delivery date for the vehicle, the priests decided to visit Ford Dumaguete in August to speak with the manager since Continente had allegedly already given several excuses regarding the delay, he said.

He said they had met Continente later, who admitted that he had used the money but he was willing to pay them back.

Continente, however, did not fulfill his promise, prompting the priests to take legal action.

Meanwhile, Omaguing said Continente has been suspended while their Human Resources office is investigating the case.

He has also promised to sell his car so he can return the money to the priests, Omaguing said.

Christian said they were at first open to an amicable settlement with Continente but was disappointed when he allegedly kept on promising to repay them but always failed to do so.

“It is about time that the people should also be made aware of what is happening so that they will not fall prey to a similar situation like ours, he said,” he said. – Philippine News Agency

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