The offices of opposition Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan are now investigating who are the persons who ordered thousands worth of food items using their name and their office addresses.
In her Facebook post, Hontiveros, a reelectionist showed screenshots of the invoices of orders from a popular restaurant, where she allegedly ordered one large size lechon worth over P18,000, including shipping fees.
Hontiveros said they are mulling legal actions against the individuals responsible for the scam.
“We are monitoring to study possible legal action. Hindi para sa amin kundi para sa mga local businesses at mga riders (not for us, but for our local businesses and delivery riders),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
In her social media post, the senator stressed the need to protect local businesses.
“PROTECT LOCAL BUSINESSES! May BAGONG MODUS ang mga gustong manira sa atin. Magpapanggap na ako at mag-oorder ng nakapangalan sa akin at sa address ng opisina ko (there is a new modus that wants to destroy our name. They pretend to be me and will order under my name and my office address),” she wrote.
“Kawawa ang mga negosyante, mga empleyado, at mga delivery riders na inaagrabyado (I feel bad for the businessmen, employees and delivery riders who are taking the brunt of this scam),” she pointed out.
Pangilinan also disclosed his office also fell prey to a P90,000 “fake food order” scam.
“Mayroong natanggap ang aming opisina sa Senado na mensahe na magde-deliver daw ng frozen meat at wine na nagkakahalaga ng P90,000. Fake po yung order. Buti na lang hindi pa na-deliver (Our Senate office received a message that there is a delivery of frozen meat and wine that is worth P90,000. It’s a fake order. It’s a good thing it hasn’t been delivered,” Pangilinan said in a statement.
“Pakiusap po sa mga gumagawa nito, hirap na po ang ating mga kababayan sa pandemya, huwag nang manloko pa (My appeal to those who are doing this, stop scamming people, our kababayans are already having a hard time due to the pandemic),” said the senator, who is running for vice president in the upcoming May 2022 elections in tandem with Vice President Leni Robredo.
The same scam also hit the office of Vice President Leni Robredo, which is now investigating who made P100,000 worth of food orders and set it to their office on Monday.