Public told: Report Duterte posers to cops

CEBU, Philippines — Police in Central Visayas have urged the public to report swindlers who are using the name of President Rodrigo Duterte to promise livelihood, housing projects, and financial assistance in exchange for money.

“Let us just be diligent in dealing with this people. If there are people posing as a group in using the name of the president, you are welcome to report it to police station,” said Police Regional Office-7 Director Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino.

Espino made the remark after Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino reported that there is a group that allegedly swindles poor people by using the name of President Duterte, and then asks P200 to P300 cash from each of the unsuspecting victims.

Dino has already asked the National Bureau of Investigation-7 to look into such reports.

As for the police, Espino said, they are ready to make appropriate action once they receive a formal complaint from anyone who may have fallen prey to such modus.

“We are waiting kung sino ang makapagbibigay ng information so that we could make appropriate action against those people using the name of a politician in the guise of helping a foundation for civic activities,” he said.

Espino recalled there was a similar scheme perpetrated by unscrupulous individuals at the height of the Marawi City conflict, in which some groups allegedly solicited money from the public to supposedly support the government troops.

“Even sa Philippine National Police, we are also being victimized by this group soliciting for our troops in Marawi. This kind of scam is well-known, so wag tayong magpadala,” the PRO-7 chief said.

Espino said swindlers usually take advantage of a prominent person’s name – not only the president but also other popular personalities – to prey on their victims.

“They are not only using the name of the president but anybody. We are encouraging yung mga kababayan natin sa PRO-7 and Cebu if they have encountered this kind of group of individuals, ipag-alam agad sa pulis,” he said. (FREEMAN)