3 suspects arrested for posing as PNP OIC Danao on Facebook

Three suspects have been arrested for creating a Facebook account impersonating Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Police Lieutenant General Vicente Danao Jr., the PNP-Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) said.

In a statement Monday, the ACG said the suspects, whom the police did not name, were arrested on Sunday through the  implementation of warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data (WSSECD).

The ACG conducted a comprehensive social media exploitation, cyber patrolling, and series of surveillance operations against suspects.

According to the ACG, the suspects used the Facebook account under Danao’s name to dupe the complainant and offered to send a thousand sacks of rice to the latter as part of PNP’s community relations efforts.

The complainant was then asked to send P50,000 as shipment fee for the delivery of rice. The complainant became suspicious with the transaction and reported it to the police.

Investigators filed WSSECD before the court to link the suspects responsible for impersonating the Facebook account of Danao, the ACG said.

Seized from the suspects were two laptops, 10 mobile phones of various brands, three passbooks, debit cards under different account names, and a 500 GB hard disk drive.

Suspects were brought to ACG headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City for booking procedures prior to the conduct of inquest proceedings.

They will face charges for violation of the Access Devices Regulation Act as amended by Republic Act No. 11449 in relation to Section 6 of Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, the ACG said.

“This accomplishment was a product of a stringent and thorough social media exploitation and surveillance operation,” ACG officer-in-charge Police Brigadier General Bowenn Joey Masauding said.

“We commend the hard work and dedication of our cyber patrollers in successfully identifying and locating the real perpetrators behind this nefarious scheme. We will ensure that fraudsters will face the full force of the law,” he added.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA News