Undersecretary Catalino Cuy, officer in charge of the DILG (Photo from the DILG Facebook account)
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday warned the public against people posing as advocates of federalism or revolutionary government and offering local government positions for cash.
According to DILG officer in charge Catalino Cuy, the scammers are going around the country claiming that they could get people designated as local officials under a federal system or a revolutionary government in exchange for money.
In a statement, Cuy said the DILG had received reports about various groups posing as authorized campaigners for federalism or a revolutionary government and claiming that they could have people appointed to local positions.
The official said he had directed all DILG field offices to warn local governments about the scammers, who are preying on incumbent or aspiring local officials.
Citing the reports, Cuy said the targets were being told that they would be included in a priority list of people to be appointed once the country shifted to a federal form of government or revolutionary government, but that they would have to apply for membership in the groups by paying fees or donating money to them.
‘Be vigilant’
“The President has said that we should not believe [the establishment of] a revolutionary government because we will get nothing out of it and let us focus on building our country,” he pointed out in Filipino, citing Mr. Duterte’s Nov. 21 speech at an event in Taguig City.
Jonathan Malaya, newly installed DILG assistant secretary for communications and capacity development, urged all field officers “to be vigilant and proactive and to immediately warn all barangay captains and local government officials in their respective jurisdictions of the scams being perpetrated by these unscrupulous individuals.”
Malaya, who was tapped to act as the agency’s federalism program administrator, said the groups were using different names and going around “from Cagayan Valley to Cotabato and from Metro Manila to Samar.”
“[It is not true] that the DILG will install OICs [upon the establishment of a federal form of government] in any local government position,” he said.
Malaya said the public should be suspicious if a group came offering local posts and asking for money. People should immediately report the group to the DILG for appropriate action, he added.