Arthur Tugade
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) warned the public on Saturday against persons claiming to be Secretary Arthur Tugade after the owner of the vessel involved in a sea mishap in Quezon province was reportedly duped into giving P100,000 to avoid having the license of his ship suspended.
In an advisory, the DOTr maintained that Tugade does not approve of any solicitation in whatever form or manner as such is “considered illegal and unlawful.”
“The DOTr condemns such fraudulent acts and vows to coordinate with proper authorities to swiftly investigate and determine those who are responsible behind this scam,” the agency said.
According to the DOTr, Eruel Merana, owner of MV Mercraft 3, received on Friday a phone call from a certain “Acosta” allegedly from the Northern Quezon coast guard station telling him that Tugade wanted to talk to him.
The call to Merana occurred just after his vessel sank between Dinahican in Quezon and Polilio Island. Five persons died after the ship, which was navigating in poor visibility, struck a fishing buoy made of metal sheet. Another 243 passengers were rescued by authorities.
When Merana arrived at the station in Real town, he was handed a mobile phone to which he was able to speak to a person claiming to be Tugade. In that call, Merana was told to pay up P100,000 “to avoid the suspension of documents and licenses” of his vessel.
The DOTr said that because of “trauma and panic,” Merana obliged and sent the money through a cash transfer facility before noon. The recipient was a certain Eduardo Austria Jr.
On Saturday, the same person claiming to be Tugade again called up Merana and asked him for another P50,000. The caller, using mobile phone number 09774813280, said the money was allegedly for Maritime Industry Authority administrator Marcial Amaro.
This time though, Merana told the caller that he would not be able send the money since banks are closed for the holidays.
Following the incident, the DOTr called on the public to be “more vigilant and discerning,” and report to them any cases where Tugade’s name or any of the department’s officials