Martin Diño —PHOTO FROM MARTIN DIÑO FACEBOOK PAGE
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said it has filed criminal complaints against former Interior Undersecretary Martin Diño and six others for the illegal use of the name, logo and insignias of the PCG Auxiliary (PCGA) group.
Aside from the illegal use of PCGA insignia, Diño and the others were also charged of estafa and usurpation of authority for collecting P15,000 from 480 indigent residents of Morong, Bataan, to join 101st Balangay PCGA Inc.
According to the PCG, 101st Balangay PCGA Inc. was not authorized to use the PCGA in its name. Last Tuesday, the PCG asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to cancel 101st Balangay PCGA Inc.’s registration.
Chartered by Republic ActNo. 9993, the PCGA is a volunteer civilian support group of the PCG and, as part of the armed services, is authorized to use a military structure and don military uniforms.
“They have to respect the PCG as an armed organization and preserve the sanctity of wearing the uniform,” said PCG spokesperson Commodore Armando Balilo, adding that the unauthorized use of military names, uniforms, logos and insignias is a criminal offense.
Balilo said its detachment in Bataan earlier received reports that 101st Balangay PCGA Inc. was recruiting and charging P15,000 to join their organization, representing themselves as part of the PCG.
PCG investigators claimed that victims, mostly poor folk, were also asked to quit their jobs so they could be hired as “security personnel” and were promised allowances totaling P30,000.
The 101st Balangay PCGA Inc. supposedly recruited about 480 residents of Barangay Mabayo in Morong, Bataan. Other individuals were also illegally recruited in Abucay and Hermosa towns, both in Bataan.
The criminal charges were filed at the Bataan prosecutor’s office in Balanga City last Jan. 13.Aside from Diño, the charges were filed against Renante Nase, Agustin Soria Jr., Laurence Nase, Reniel Nase, Jerry delos Santos and Christine Lingat.
The PCG noted that in 2018, the agency considered suing Diño after he posted a picture of himself wearing the uniform of a PCGA rear admiral even if he was not a member of the organization. But no charges were filed after Diño resigned from the organization he joined.
The PCG also urged the public to report other groups or individuals who represent themselves as PCG or PCGA personnel and make promises of cash or employment.