July 4, 2012

       A fake lawyer and long wanted by the law for carnapping was finally caught by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Quezon City last week.

      The subject was identified as RICHARD GITALADA ALPAPARA, 58, a resident of Blk. 17 Lot 22 Simeon St., North Olympus Subd., Bgy. Kaligayahan, Novaliches, Quezon City.

   Last month, the NBI received a complaint from Ma. Cristina P. Bernardo, a Quezon City resident that a man later identified as Alpapara whom she hired as her legal counsel, is not a member of the Bar. Bernardo met "Atty. Sarte" at the Quezon City Hall of Justice when she looked for a lawyer to help her in her real estate problem. It pertains to a property she bought in Novalicehs, Quezon City.

   Sarte demanded for P30,000 as acceptance fee which she paid. Further, he also demanded P3,000 as appearance fee for every hearing. After the preparation of the initial documents, she came to know form a reliable source that Sarte is a not a lawyer. She demanded for the repayment of the fees she paid him as well as the return of her documents. Despite repeated demands he refused to return the money.

   A certification obtained from the Office of the Bar Confidant, Supreme Court proved that Sarte is not really a lawyer. Record check with NBI files disclosed that he has a standing warrant of arrest under the name Richard Gitalada Alpapara in Criminal Case No. 117802 for Carnapping by Makati RTC Branch 139 in 1985 and Criminal Case No.Q-08-153981 for Estafa issued by Quezon City RTC Branch 85 in 2008 in the name of Sarte.

   It is believed that Alpapara who used the name Richard A. Sarte have victimized other clients in Quezon City and in the Bulacan areas. Alpapara was arrested by NBI agents on June 28, 2012 at his residence in Novaliches, Quezon City.

  Charges of Falsification, Usurpation of Authority and Estafa are being recommended against Alpapara. He is now detained at the NBI jail.