CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A 30-year-old male who was posing as an employee of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and asking for registration fees from his victims in exchange for the agency’s financial assistance was arrested in an entrapment operation on Tuesday, July 19, the city police reported on Wednesday, July 20.
The Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) identified the suspect as Jhon Carl Mendoza also known as Jay Lagrimas, who is from Barangay Hugo, Perez Trece Marteres, Cavite but temporarily residing at Villamor Compound, Barangay Balulang in this city.
The Carmen police, together with the City Intelligence Unit and DSWD-10 staff, conducted an entrapment operation after they received the complaint from a certain Gracefer Cernvantes, 47, a resident of Villamor Compound, Barangay Balulang.
According to the report they received, DSWD-10 director Mari-Flor Dollaga, in the same press conference, said the complainant felt pity for Mendoza as he had no place to stay, prompting her to allow him to use one of the rooms.
The suspect in return included the complainant in the list of beneficiaries of financial assistance from DSWD.
“Didto na gaadto sa iyaha kadtong mga supposed to be clients kuno. So na-threaten siya, gisulod niya ang kwarto. Didto niya nakita ang mga dokumento, nakita niya ang ID, ang red vest and immediately nanawag na siya sa PNP og tabang (The supposed to be clients were already coming to her . So, she was threatened and decided to enter the room. From there, she saw the documents, the ID, the red vest and immediately asked for police assistance),” Dollaga added.
During the entrapment, a police officer who pretended to apply for educational assistance positively confirmed the illegal activity when he was also asked for registration payment worth P500 for the educational assistance and P350 for the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
The authorities have recovered one fake DSWD ID, one fake DSWD red vest, 92 pieces of Social Amelioration Card (SAC) forms, 19 pieces of fake 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) requirements and 59 pieces of fake educational assistance requirements.
DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo was virtually present in the press conference and reiterated that there is no money involved if one is to become a beneficiary of any DSWD programs.
“Hindi po kami naniningil para po kayo makatanggap ng benepisyo sa DSWD. Libre po ang mga benepisyo. Wala po’ng kapalit. Hindi 300, hindi 500. Wala po’ng hinihingi ang DSWD (We do not charge for you to receive benefits from DSWD. The benefits are free. There is no exchange. Not 300, not 500. The DSWD is not asking ),” Tulfo said.
Police Major Mario Mantala Jr., the Carmen police chief, in their initial investigation, said there are eight individuals who are allegedly involved in the said illegal activity in this city.
There are also active groups with the same modus operating to the different areas in the country, Mantala said.
“Maong karon sa atong intelligence group sa COCPO, aduna pay ongoing nga backtracking kanila for the possible arrest of other members kining grupoha (That is why our intelligence group from COCPO has an ongoing backtracking to them for the possible arrest of the other members),” Mantala said.
Right after the entrapment operation, the DSWD-10 forwarded the information to the rest DSWD regional directors nationwide to alert them of the said illegal activity.
Tulfo lauded the successful operation of Cagayan de Oro police and DSWD-10 and expressed his gratitude for arresting one of the suspects.
The suspect is currently detained at the custodial facility of Carmen Police Station 4 for the filing of cases