PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. Screenshot from Facebook / PNP livestream
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police cautioned the public against con artists who namedrop well-known personalities as part of their racket.
Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the PNP, on Sunday reminded the public to be wary of scammers, describing their usual ploys of identifying themselves with known personalities to solicit money or favors, promising high returns on investments and delivering instant cash with no effort involved.
Eleazar issued the warning following the arrest on Friday of five persons who posed as staff members of presidential aspirant and Sen. Manny Pacquiao to collect money from some 100 residents in Camarin, Caloocan City.
According to the Northern Police District, the suspects allegedly sold daily timecards at P30 each to residents who would supposedly be tapped as neighborhood cleaners and be given P7,500 each by the senator.
Caloocan City cops arrested the suspects after Pacquiao’s office denied the existence of such a program.
“I would like to remind the public to be wary and not to immediately trust persons who use the names of personalities, including politicians, to seek favors or cash,” Eleazar said.