Dumaguete City Councilors are warning the public against falling prey to unscrupulous individuals using their names to solicit mobile phone load or other items, like food.
Councilor Alan Gel Cordova has asked the public to help disseminate through the City Information Office that he has not authorized anybody to solicit any amount, load or favor on his behalf purportedly in exchange of goods or services, said City Information Officer Dems Rey Demecillo on Thursday.
“There are reports that some unscrupulous individuals have been asking establishments for cash or load using his (Cordova’s) name,” Demecillo added.
The City Councilor condemns this modus operandi and asked those concerned to report immediately any attempt to solicit cash or in kind using his name to the nearest police station.
Meanwhile, Councilor Estanislao Alviola has also made the same appeal to the public after a food outlet complained they were duped by a caller who placed some orders to be delivered to the City Hall.
The victims, who asked not to be identified, said they received a phone call from a male person speaking in Tagalog and introducing himself as Councilor Alviola. The caller then placed his order for a significant amount of siomai and bottles of soda to be delivered to the City Session Hall.It turned out that when the food providers delivered the food there, Alviola was out of town.
The caller, who used a separate number, also asked the victims to buy some medicines for him, as well as a P500 load. The request made the victims suspicious of the caller, who could no longer be located on both numbers.
Councilor Alviola told reporters to warn the public that he also has not authorized anybody to ask for solicitations or undertake similarly-natured activities for him.
There have been previous reports of other people who were used in this modus operandi including a congressman and a vice-mayor. (With a report from Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)