Zubiri, CIDG official expose scammers

Groups duping politicians and businessmen are now actively operating in the country, with their modus operandi posing as local officials soliciting donations from government officials and private individuals.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri disclosed this to the public Wednesday, following the arrest of two individuals who presented themselves as Siqujor Governor Jec Jec Villa and Board Member Abner Lomongo.

“Nanghihingi sila ng pera para daw sa kanilang political convention, kapalit ng patuloy daw nilang suporta para sa akin. Hindi ko po alam kung paano nila nakuha ang aking personal contact number. But presuming that they were government officials, I gave them that leeway… But I knew from the very beginning that something was fishy, medyo parang bogus ito. Pero hindi ko rin sila pwedeng parang palampasin lang, dahil grabeng pangloloko po ang ginagawa nila, nandamay pa sila ng ibang opisyal,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri was able to check the solicitors’ identity through Senator Nancy Binay, whose chief of staff is incidentally, is the wife of Villa.

The two were persistent and aggressive, according to Zubiri, repeatedly texting him to follow-up their requested P60,000 donation for their alleged event in the province.

What’s also noteworthy according to Zubiri, was the insistence of the suspects to receive their requested donation through GCash, and transaction must be made in any 7-11 branch.

The same modus was also experienced by former Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Francis Tolentino who for a change, were also pursued for donation by one group whose representative meantime, identified himself in his text messages to senators, as the governor of Guimaras.

Zubiri was able to convince the suspects to meet his staff to personally receive his donation, but in full coordination with the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR).

The suspects – one, 43-year old, and another, 23-years old -- were collared in Zambales in an operation last August 15.

A firearm was also confiscated from the suspects, Zubiri said.

“Kung humingi na lang sana sila ng tulong saking tanggapan kung meron silang pangangailangan… I never say ‘no’ sa mga financial assistance. Whether it is sa hospital, sa scholarship, sa lahat ng bagay, tumutulong po tayo. Kung dumiretso na lang po sila at humingi ng tulong sa ‘kin,” the Senate leader said.

“Ang problema nagpanggap po sila na high government official, of course, with intent to extort, or to get money from me, eh, medyo may shades of estafa na po ‘yan, extortion and, of course, usurpation of authority… So talagang may criminal intent,” he added.

CIDG-NCR Chief, Col. Hansel Marantan, who attended Zubiri’s press briefing, said groups of this nature continue to flourish.

One of their cases solved was the group that victimized then candidates Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte. Thirty-five suspects were arrested in the case, Marantan said.

Aside from the arrested suspects in Zambales, the CIDG-NCR have also arrested suspects doing the same modus in Caloocan, and Rodriguez, Rizal, the official said.

The suspects have good IT backgrounds, are all active in social media, and are considered “organized” with assigned trained members for every task, police said.

Members all have criminal records, particularly, illegal drugs, police added.

“Like for example, ‘ako ay Chief-of-Staff ni Ma’am Inday (Sara), nakita naming may mga projects ka.' In fact, ‘yong grupo na ‘yon is divided into several functions: Merong researcher sila, may negosyador sila at mayroon silang one responsible in the acceptance of the money,” Marantan said.

“That’s why we got the bank accounts already, in fact nagbibigay sila ng Gcash number. From the Gcash number alone, we can get the name already, so careless din sila. So those kind of schemes, that’s why they’re called scammers… ‘yong mga nahuli naming previously, they were able to amass millions of pesos already. We were able to check their bank accounts, nakita namin, the bank transactions there, so hindi nakakapagtaka na makapanloko talaga sila,” he added.

One trait of scammers duping politicians the police official said, is they know how to control the conversation.

“Gaya ng sinabi ni Sen. Zubiri kanina, kung ikaw naman ang magtatanong, mahina signal, pero ‘pag sila ang tumatawag, malakas ang signal. That’s how they control the conversation,” he said.

“We have also the gadgets to track them down, especially that they are using gadgets, too, that’s why they have to be careful using those gadgets, too, because that can be an instrument for the law enforcers to go after them also,” Marantan added.

Zubiri vowed to prioritize the approval of the refiled SIM Card Registration Bill so scammers can be immediately identified and collared by authorities.

“We just organized all the committees, kung kaya pong before the end of the year, tapusin namin yan. Si Sen. Grace has committed to pass this again immediately, para hopefully, by December, tapos na ‘yan. Sabay na namin sa budget,” Zubiri said.

The Senate leader has also committed to increase the budget of the Philippine National Police to help them procure modern equipment that can be used to collar criminals.