4 charged in scam on police hiring

DIGOS CITY—At least four persons, including an employee of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), were charged at the Cotabato City prosecutor’s office with involvement in a police recruitment scam.

The charges are backed by statements from at least a dozen police applicants who said the suspects offered guaranteed hiring in the police force in exchange for money.

Charged with syndicated estafa were Norodin Tilendo, alias Tong, 44, of the ARMM’s Bureau of Public Information; his wife, Marilyn, alias Wewang, 42; and their alleged accomplices – Malou Fuentes, 56, and an alias Sam.

A recruit, Nasserin Endigay, 23, said Marilyn bragged of her and her husband’s connections with the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and media. They charged P50,000 to P65,000 per applicant.

Jayson Dacquel, 19, son of a retired policewoman in Banga, South Cotabato, and his cousin Jonathan Samoy, 18, are also victims. They said their parents paid the Tilendos P125,000.

Norhata Tilendo admitted her parents’ involvement in the scam. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao