A WOMAN allegedly posing as a government employee was arrested by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) for allegedly scamming the wives of detained POGO workers out of millions of pesos.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado confirmed that the woman, who reportedly posed as an employee of the BI and PAOCC, has been blacklisted by the bureau since 2024.
The suspect, apprehended on February 5 by PAOCC operatives, allegedly demanded around PhP 1 million from each victim in exchange for the release of their detained spouses.
Viado condemned her actions, warning the public against falling for fixers.
“This person had no authority whatsoever to process anything with the BI,” said Viado. “The fact that she allegedly pretended to be a BI employee is infuriating. We will never tolerate those who exploit our processes for personal gain.”
He revealed that both the suspect and her travel agency were banned from transacting with the BI last year after being caught submitting fraudulent documents.
Viado commended the PAOCC, led by Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, for the successful operation. “This is proof of the strong partnership between the BI and PAOCC in fighting organized crime,” he said.
The BI urged the public not to accept offers of fixers and to report them directly to the agency to prevent similar incidents.
