BAGUIO CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned local officials and DILG officials and employees nationwide from transacting business with a certain Pia Alarcon or Rhia Alarcon who claims to be connected to the central office who collects money supposedly for the immediate downloading of funds for DILG programs and projects and for processing fees among others.
In an advisory issued to all local officials and DILG personnel, Secretary Ismael Mike Sueno said his office has received reports that a person introducing herself as Pia Alarcon or Rhia Alarcon who claims to be connected with the central office, collects money from local officials and DILG personnel for the immediate downloading of programs and projects and for the processing fees of the said projects to the concerned localities.
“The modus of this poseur’s operation is to approach local government officials and enjoin them to submit letter-requests to the DILG to avail of programs and projects. In the course of the transaction, she demands money supposedly as processing fee for the downloading of the funds for such projects to the concerned local governments,” Sueno stated in his letter to all local officials and DILG personnel nationwide reminding them they can visit the DILG website or go to the local DILG office to know learn about programs and projects, the requirements and availment procedures so as not to be duped by the fake employees.
According to him, local officials and DILG personnel should be wary of people who promise to facilitate the release of fire trucks and other projects.
Sueno branded these people as fixers and that no DILG official or personnel is authorized to solicit money or any materials gains for DILG projects and services.
Secretary Sueno believes there are some unscrupulous individuals who want to take advantage of the ignorance of some newly elected officials how DILG programs and projects are administered and take the risk of trying their luck to demand money from their prospects for them to be the ones to process the release of funds and the immediate cascading of the DILG programs and projects to the beneficiary local governments, especially those from the remote areas of the country.
He expressed confidence that local officials could learn from their experiences in the past where there were several individuals posing as representatives of some department officials who promised to fast-track the release of funding for the priority projects of local governments in exchange for huge amounts of money but they ended up hanging in the air because their term lapsed but the funds were never downloaded to the concerned local governments in the different parts of the country.
The DILG official urged local officials and DILG personnel to immediately report fixers, poseurs and con men/women to Senior Superintendent Alex B. Sintin, senior police assistant to the Secretary of Interior and Local government, at Camp Crame, Quezon City through cellphone number 0949-846-4858, 0998-967-4884, office phone numbers around the clock 02-722-8118, PNP trunk line 02-723-0401 local 3421 or 3381 or to the local DILG officers./By Dexter A. See
