NBI ordered to probe ‘appointment’ scam

PRESS Secretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been ordered to conduct an immediate investigation after an ‘appointment-for-a-fee’ racket resulted to 8 purported ‘presidential appointees’ went to Malacañang for their oath taking with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., only to find out that they have been scammed.

The victims went to Malacañang in the afternoon of January 27, 2023 only to be told that there was no such activity scheduled at the Palace on that day.

The eight, who showed up as a group, claimed that they received a letter from certain Undersecretary Eduardo Diokno and certain Assistant Secretary Johnson See – both supposedly from the Office of the Executive Secretary under ES Lucas Bersamin, and instructed them to proceed to the Palace for their supposed swearing-in rites before the President.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara said there was no such oath-taking ceremony scheduled for that afternoon, adding that the eight “appointees” obviously fell victim to fraudsters.

Garafil said the victims paid huge sums of money to secure positions in the government after receiving information or invitation about available government positions. Sources said the money they shelled out ranges from between P500,000 to P5 million.

The supposed available positions were an ambassadorial post to the Netherlands; Transportation Assistant Secretary, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority board member, Clark International Airport Corporation president and chief executive officer, Early Childhood Care and Development Council executive director and vice chairman, Clark Development Corp. and Port of Batangas manager.

Garafil added they expect the NBI to submit its report at the soonest possible time.