Palace warns public vs solicitation scheme

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday warned the public against a fraudulent scheme that uses the names of some government officials to collect money supposedly as part of a hiring procedure.

Acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said unscrupulous individuals have been using his name and that of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to solicit P6,000 medical insurance as part of a recruitment procedure.

Nograles said those involved in the scam are unlawfully using the letterheads of the government’s pandemic task force and the labor department.

“The OPS (Office of the Presidential Spokesperson) wants to alert everyone about this illegal solicitation scheme and urges the public to report such fraudulent activity to 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center,” Nograles said in a statement.