Suspects promise victims admission to police, coast guard academies for P150,000

Authorities arrested two suspects who allegedly promised victims admission to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Philippine National Police Academies for P150,000.

According to Emil Sumangil’s Tuesday report on “24 Oras,” Criminal Investigation and Detection Group police officers nabbed Princess Sandra Macapage and Sherhana Hatae in entrapment operations.

“Siningil lang po sila ng P150,000 each. Subalit after ng ilang several weeks and months, hindi naman po sila nakapasok sa Coast Guard kasi yung isa ay under height,” said CIDG NCR South chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Jason Gatdula.

One of the victims was 28-year-old factory worker Ahiron Muksan. He said that Macapage introduced herself a bureacrat from Malacañang.

“Ang pakilala niya po sa akin sir, taga Malacanang daw po siya. Humingi po sa akin ng pera noong una 150,000. Kung bubuin ko raw ang 150,000 makakapasok daw ako ng Coast Guard. Hanggang training na po ‘yun,” Muksan said, noting that he was now in debt after being deceived by the suspect.

“Sana po makulong po siya. ‘Yun po ang gusto namin para hindi na siya makapangloko ng iba,” he added.

Gatdula said the suspects had been scamming victims for some time as 15 other complaints came forward, adding that they were also illegally recruiting individuals to be cadets of the PNPA.

The suspects, however, denied the allegations made against them.

"Bigla na lang po akong dinampot po. Sabi raw i-scam, ginanyan ko po ang pera sabi ko para sa Coast Guard po… dadalhin kay ma'am Princess,” Hatae said.

“May nakapasok din naman po. Yung mga complainant ko po nag-aareglo na po kami,” Macapage added. — DVM, GMA News