Man claiming to be Duterte’s kin arrested

MANILA, Philippines — Police have arrested a man claiming he is a lawyer and half-brother of President Duterte for allegedly duping people to give him money in exchange for barangay posts.

Jose Matias, 57, also known as Jose Roa Matias II, was arrested at an entrapment in Barangay Sta. Felomina, San Pablo, Laguna last March 8, Chief Superintendent Roel Obusan, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director, reported yesterday.

Matias was caught while receiving P5,000 in “additional processing fee” after one of his victims gave him P75,000 in exchange for naming him barangay captain in Balagtas, Bulacan.

Matias was charged with estafa, usurpation of authority and alarm and scandal before the Department of Justice.

Obusan said Matias had claimed that as the leader of the so-called People’s Congress, Malacañang had authorized him to appoint barangay officials under a revolutionary form of government.

“In exchange for…the appointments is money,” Obusan  told a press briefing.

Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge Eduardo Año had earlier warned the public about Matias and his group.

“They could be the same group of scammers who had been identified earlier...They prey on unsuspecting public officials who have political ambitions,” Año said.

Matias denied that he claimed to be a relative of the President.