• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Three more large scale estafa cases have been filed by the police against an incumbent member of the La Castellana Sangguniang Bayan and a woman recruiter, in connection with an alleged PNP recruitment scam which reportedly victimized 47 aspirants to the police force.
The new cases bring to 11 the number of complaints filed against La Castellana Councilor Donato Dumaguit and a certain Mary June delos Santos before the Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, provincial police spokesperson PCapt. Judesses Catalogo disclosed yesterday.
Catalogo also disclosed that three more similar complaints will be filed by other victims against the two respondents on October 2.
A teacher has also filed a complaint against delos Santos before the National Bureau of Investigation, who had promised her of entry into the Philippine Coast Guard in exchange for cash payments. She further claimed that Dumaguit was helping delos Santos in the recruitment of police and Coast Guard applicants.
The police aspirants paid amounts ranging from P247,000 to as much as P300,000 to the recruiters for their entry to the PNP, while the teacher complaint said she paid P121,000 to delos Santos.
Dumaguit has reportedly failed to attend several sessions of the La Castellana Sangguniang Bayan, after being linked to the alleged police recruitment scam.
In an interview with DYEZ Aksyon Radyo, Dumaguit said he is ready to face accusations against him, which he strongly denied.
The La Castellana councilor further claimed that he is also a victim.
The PNP Internal Affairs Service is also investigating the alleged involvement several policemen in the recruitment scam.*
