By Genalyn Kabiling
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo has warned the public against falling for a fraudulent solicitation scheme using his name on social media.
In a Palace news conference Tuesday, Panelo said someone was impersonating him online and asking money supposedly to be donated for typhoon victims.
Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo (MANILA BULLETIN)
"I’d like to warn the public. I was informed that there is an ongoing scam on my Facebook account,” Panelo, also concurrent Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, said.
"Two swindlers have already received I think P200,000 – one P100,000, two P200,000. They’re using my name and asking… apparently my friends or those who know me that I’m asking for donations for Ompong victims in the Marawi. It’s not true absolutely," he said.
Panelo said he has already asked the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the online scam preying on the public.
"Now I’m thinking of removing all those Facebook accounts. But what they’re doing is that, they activate it and then deactivate it. I already referred this to the NBI as early as I think more than a month ago," he said.
"Please be informed and be cautious. Always call me… anyway they know my numbers," he added.