Palace: Don't entertain fraudsters offering government positions

The Palace advised the public not to believe fraudsters offering government positions after eight supposedly "presidential appointees" went to Malacañang on Friday for what they believed was their oath taking schedule.

The victims said they received correspondence from a certain Undersecretary Eduardo Diokno and Assistant Secretary Johnson See from the Office of the Executive Secretary informing them of their oath taking ceremony with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“The Office of the President cordially invites you to attend the oath taking ceremony to be presided by His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Rizal Hall, Malacañang Palace, two o’clock in the afternoon, Monday, 5th of December 2022,” read the letter addressed to one of the victims.

However there was no such oath taking on Friday and the "appointees" fell victim to fraudsters, according to Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara.

The Palace said the victims had doubts on the authenticity of the appointments and oath taking after they spotted some inconsistencies in the information given them by the fraudsters, but they still proceeded to Malacañang.

The victims also said they shelled out huge sums of money to secure government positions.

They also said they were informed by the scammers that they were to assume the following positions: ambassadorial post to The Netherlands, Department of Transportation assistant secretary, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) board member, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) president and chief executive officer (CEO), Early Childhood Care and Development Council executive director and vice chairperson, Clark Development Corp. (CDC) director and Port of Batangas manager.

The NBI is already conducting an investigation into the incident.

The Palace meanwhile appealed to the victims to cooperate with authorities conducting the probe. —KG, GMA Integrated News