The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) recently arrested two persons for allegedly trying to recruit employees to work for the customs bureau in exchange for money.
Cecilia Lucentales, 62, and Roliveth Cortes, 52, of Pasay City, were nabbed in an entrapment operation at the Alen Building along Gil Puyat Avenue in Pasay City on July 19.
BOC Customs Police Rapid Intervention Group (CPRIG) commander Jaybee Raul Cometa, in a statement, said customs police and CIDG agents conducted an entrapment operation after receiving a complaint from Federico R. Santos, who said he was lured by Lucentales to work at BOC.
The complainant said Lucentales asked for P50,000 from him with a promise to get him a position as district collector.
“We have checked with the Human Resource Management Division and found out that Lucentales is not a legitimate employee of the bureau,” Cometa said.
The suspects were allegedly charging each applicant from P50,000 to P100,000 in exchange for work at BOC once a certain “Victorino” assumed office as customs commissioner.
Cometa said the suspects would be charged with violation of the Revised Penal Code, citing Article 315 for estafa and Article 178 for usurpation of authority.
Cometa reminded the public to be always vigilant and cautious.
“Do not believe offers like these because if the bureau has a job opening, we disclose it to the public and there’s no money involved,” he said.
“There’s a regular hiring process, so please be vigilant as these things do not happen anymore in the bureau,” he stressed.
Image courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
