The Department of Interior and Local Government is again warning the public of scammers and extortionists promising bogus OIC appointments in barangays using the name of the President, DILG, and the federalism campaign.
DILG Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said that there is absolutely no truth to the claim of OIC appointments especially now that the Barangay and SK Elections are officially proceeding as scheduled in May.
“The Senate has shut the door to any postponement, so our Barangay officials should worry about reelection in May rather than allowing themselves to be victimized by these unscrupulous individuals,”said Malaya.
He said that DILG OIC-Secretary Eduardo M. Ano has directed the Philippine National Police to be on the look-out for the scammers and immediately file the necessary charges against them before more people are victimized.
The police has so far arrested two alleged scammers in Laguna and in Bohol this month for extortion in the guise of the federalism campaign.
“Kami’y natutuwa na nadakip na ng ating kapulisan ang itinuturong ulo ng grupong People’s Congress na napabalitang ilang buwan na ring nag-iikot sa iba’t ibang probinsya at nambibiktima ng mga kababayan nating napapaniwala nilang maitatalaga silang barangay o local government official kapag naipagpaliban ang Barangay election o natupad ang federalism sa bansa o di kaya sa ilalalim ng revolutionary government (RevGov),” said Malaya.
He said that all DILG field offices should be vigilant and report any similar illegal activity to the PNP.
Malaya said that despite the adjournment of the 17th Congress without passing a law postponing the Barangay elections, they are still getting reports that scammers are still going from province to province giving false hopes of appointments in barangays to unknowing victims.
Last month, Aňo issued an advisory to all local government units, civil society organizations, people’s organizations, and DILG regional offices warning them of such illegal activities and directing them “to report to police authorities the unauthorized use of the DILG logo or the DILG name in unofficial federalism activities in localities.”
Aňo encouraged concerned groups, offices, local officials to get in touch with the office of Asec. Malaya who heads the DILG Center for Federalism and Constitutional Reform at (02) 8763454 local no. 3801 or 3802 or with the Local Government Academy at (02) 6389649 or 6341906.
