Duterte warns online scammers amid COVID-19 pandemic

President Rodrigo Duterte has warned the public against scammers taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to victimize buyers shifting to online shopping in fear of getting infected by the killer virus.

“Do not fall for that thing , online. Nobody has perfected this thing,” Duterte said in a taped briefing with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases aired Friday morning.

“They are perpetrating this on the public,” Duterte added.

Duterte particularly mentioned those selling face masks. Under current health protocol, face masks are required for individuals going out of their houses either to buy essential items or report for work.

"Wag kayong bumili ng mga online-online na lalo na magpadala ka ng pera, I’d like to address this to everybody.  Ang iyo dyan is, i-deliver mo, tapos tignan mo yung maskara, kung hindi sangayon sa inorder mo, papasukin mo sa loob ‘yung nagdala ng mask, talian mo,” Duterte said.

Known for his tough talk, Duterte further said, "Kung ako, iyan ang gawin ko sa inyo: talian ko iyong paa ninyo, pati kamay ninyo, saksakan ko iyong bunganga ninyo ng medyas niyong mabaho, limang araw na walang laba. Tapos talian ko ng panyo. Ihulog kita sa Pasig [River]."

He also asked the people not to entertain businesses that use his name.

“Huwag kayo magpaloko lalo na 'yung mag gamit ng pangalan ko kasi 'yung mag gamit ng pangalan ko, sigurado palpak 'yan, raket 'yan, krimen 'yan," Duterte said.

"Kasi kung negosyo mo tama, walang problema, eh bakit gamitin mo pangalan ko?" he added. “Maski sinong magdala na Duterte siya, do not entertain.”

The Philippines has recorded 20,382 COVID-19 cases thus far. Of this number, 4,248 recovered while 984 died. --with Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News