Palace warns public vs fraudsters offering gov’t positions

Malacañang Palace as seen from across the Pasig River. (Photo from malacanang.gov.ph)

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday warned the public against dubious individuals communicating with them online or through correspondence offering positions in the government.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) issued the warning after eight supposed “presidential appointees” went to the Palace for their supposed oath-taking.

According to the victims, a certain Undersecretary Eduardo Diokno and Assistant Secretary Johnson See, supposedly from the Office of the Executive Secretary, instructed them to proceed to the Palace for their supposed swearing-in rites to be administered by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. himself.

“The Office of the President cordially invites you to attend the oath-taking ceremony to be presided by His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Rizal Hall, Malacañang Palace, two o’clock in the afternoon, Monday, 5th of December 2022,” a letter to one of the victims read, as quoted by the PCO.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara said no oath-taking ceremony was scheduled, and the “appointees” obviously fell victim to fraudsters.

Some of the victims said they already had doubts about the authenticity of appointments and oath-taking after noticing some inconsistencies in the information provided by the scammers, but they still proceeded to Malacañang.

According to the PCO, the victims paid huge sums of money to secure positions in the government after receiving information or invitation about available government positions.

The positions that they are supposed to assume include ambassadorial post to The Netherlands, Department of Transportation assistant secretary, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) board member, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) president and chief executive officer (CEO), Early Childhood Care and Development Council executive director and vice chairperson, Clark Development Corp. (CDC) director and Port of Batangas manager.

“The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is probing the incident and the Palace appealed to the victims to cooperate with authorities,” the PCO said.

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JPV