A parish in Paranaque has warned the public against scams using the clergy to swindle money from church goers.
The Presentation of the Child Jesus Parish issued the warning after a solicitation letter supposedly coming from Msgr Felipe Ocol circulated online.
"A solicitation letter coming from Msgr Felipe Ocol has been circulating seeking financial support for his scholar, Rev Rostum Sacapano, through GCash," the parish said in a Facebook post.
"Please be informed that the letter did not come from Monsi Ocol. It's not even his signature," it added.
"This is a hoax, a means of deception!" the post further read.
The parish said it also received reports that a new Facebook account of Msgr Phillip Ocol requesting the recipient parishioners to be included as his friend is ongoing.
The parish asked the public not to entertain such request.
"Let us all be careful of incidents and scams like this, victimizing church goers and parish servants, using our clergy to swindle money and other favors surreptitiously," it said.