(Manila, 19th) — The Secretary of the Philippines Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Amenah Pangandaman, today issued a stern warning to the public to be vigilant against criminals impersonating DBM staff or fraudulently using the department’s name to scam people.
In a statement, Pangandaman said: “We strongly condemn such deceptive acts. The DBM has not authorized anyone to solicit or collect money for any transaction on its behalf.”
She urged that if anyone is approached in this manner, they should immediately report to the DBM and relevant law enforcement agencies.
According to reports, authorities recently received complaints that two women, Mariz Luna and Lilian Jordan, had been contacting local government units under the guise of the DBM, claiming they could help distribute an alleged ‘1 billion peso reward’ from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), on the condition that the local government first pay a “prepayment” of 10 million pesos.
After a thorough investigation, the DBM confirmed that neither suspect is an employee of the department, and the alleged transaction is entirely fabricated and constitutes an obvious case of illegal fraud.
Philippines Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno also denied the existence of any such “reward program,” stressing that the BOC has never collected any payment from local governments.
He said: “We strongly oppose fraudulent acts that abuse the name of the BOC. We will ensure that those involved are brought to justice.”
The DBM stated that it is working closely with relevant departments to track down the individuals involved and will hold them accountable according to the law. Meanwhile, the public is urged to remain vigilant and not to trust intermediaries, impersonators, or any false promises.