Palace probes fake memo on pay cuts for Turkey aid
PCO Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil (File from the LTFRB Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang will be conducting an investigation of the fake memorandum circular claiming that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the deduction of two days worth of salary from all government employees for a relief fund that has been set up for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey.
“Yes [it’s fake]. The Office of the Executive Secretary is coordinating with authorities [to investigate it],” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Velicaria- Garafil told reporters via Viber on Sunday.
In a post, the Facebook page of the Official Gazette also warned that Marcos and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin would “never issue” such a memo circular.
“Government officials and employees are hereby advised to practice precaution and to observe vigilance against this deceptive information,” it said.
One indication that the memo, which bears Bersamin’s signature, is fake is a clause stating that officials of “ministries” and other agencies of the “federal government” are among state employees who will be deducted two days worth of their salaries for the presidential relief fund for the earthquake victims.
The Philippine government earlier sent a rescue and medical mission team to Turkey as part of international humanitarian efforts to help local authorities save people trapped in collapsed buildings and treat the injured.
The Feb. 6 earthquake in Turkey and neighboring Syria has killed more than 50,000 people and injured more than 120,000.
