TWO fake officials of the Office of the President (OP) in Malacañang Palace were arrested by undercover officers of the National Capital Region Police Office and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission during an entrapment operation in front of the Philippine Coast Guard headquarters in Port Area, Manila on Wednesday noon, the Journal Group learned.

The suspects were identified as Kelvin Parreńo ,40; and Ryan Czar Dillera Pableo,33, were found to be introducing themselves as officials of the Office of the External Affairs of the OP, said a report from the NCRPO headed by Major General Edgar Alan O. Okubo.

Members of the NCRPO Regional Intelligence Division headed by Colonel Romualdo P. Iglesia launched the sting jointly with officers from the PAOCC under Executive Director Gilbert DC Cruz following reports that the two, along with three still unidentified men are posing as Malacañang officials and going around different government offices to curry favors specifically when it comes to procurement.

At Around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, undercover agents from the NCRPO led by Col. Von DV Alejandrino and the PAOCC, with the assistance of operatives from the PCG, the Naval Intelligence Security Group and the Southern Police District arrested the two suspects in front of the PCG headquarters on 25th Street in Port Area, Manila.

Initial reports said that the suspects were ‘lobbying’ different government branches to influence the procurement of different kinds of unmanned vehicles claiming they are on an official mission and are duly endorsed by the Office of the President.

Parreño, of No. 875 Alexander Street in Christine Village, Barangay San Isidro, Pasig City, was found in possession of business cards identifying himself as an ‘Undersecretary’ of the Task Force on Economic Affairs & Constituency Empowerment of the Office of the External Affairs of the OP.

Dillera yielded a professional driver’s license identifying him as a resident of Stall No. 3 Supermarket, Cotabato City.

The arrest of the suspects came amid a warning issued by Malacañang regarding the presence of some unscrupulous persons identifying themselves as Palace officials while engaged in so-called ‘government contract and government position for sale.’

Among the complainants were eight people who said that they were instructed by the suspect to go to the Presidential Palace last January 27 as they will be having their oath-taking to be administered by no less than President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. himself.

The supposed positions were an ambassadorial post to the Netherlands; Transportation Assistant Secretary, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority board member, Clark International Airport Corporation president and chief executive officer, Early Childhood Care and Development Council executive director and vice chairperson, Clark Development Corp. director and Port of Batangas manager.’

The victims narrated that a certain ‘Undersecretary Eduardo Diokno from the Office of the Executive Secretary instructed them to proceed to the Palace for their supposed swearing-in rites.

The victims were surprised when they discovered that they had fallen to a multi-million scam where they received their fake appointment papers and invitations after paying millions of pesos to the suspects.

The accused was also tagged in a nearly P1 billion scam where he and his cohort reportedly offered government projects to dozens of people including a number of celebrities in exchange for millions in cash.

The suspects were charged with violation of Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code otherwise known as usurpation of authority or official functions.