Capitol to assist victims of PNP recruitment ‘scam’

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government will help the victims of an alleged police recruitment scam in La Castellana town.

“It is really unfortunate that in spite of all the news about scams covered and reported by the media, there are still persons who believe in these offers that guarantee job placement,” Lacson told reporters Monday.

“It is really unfortunate but I think they are desperate.”

Lacson said the Provincial Legal Office will be helping the victims, who are mostly residents of Castellana town, in executing their affidavits in connection with their filing of the complaint against their alleged recruiter, Councilor Donato “Natnat” Dumaguit.

He said that instead of coming to the capitol to execute their affidavits, the legal staff would go to nearby La Carlota City where the victims can meet them.

“They have already shelled out a lot of money. So that they will not spend more, they will just go to La Carlota which is near La Castellana,” Lacson said.

La Castellana is also under the jurisdiction of the La Carlota City courts.

Earlier, several residents of La Castellana town in central Negros lambasted a member of the municipal council here after they were allegedly duped into paying P247,000 for an assured spot in the Philippine National Police.

The three are among the more than 40 victims of the town councilor who allegedly collected nearly P15 million from them, mostly residents of La Castellana.

The victims identified the “recruiter” as Dumaguit and his alleged cohorts a certain Mary June de los Santos alias Dabing and two policemen.

One of the victims, Gary Marfil, 35, told reporters that Dumaguit personally went to him and asked him to join the PNP.

Marfil said he told Dumaguit that he was already 35 years old but Dumaguit reportedly told him that he can still qualify as the eligible age is 38 years old.

He said Dumaguit further told him that he could accommodate his application for a package deal of P247,000 where he would automatically take his oath and undergo training.

Marfil has openly called on Dumaguit to come out and face them.

He said they are keen on filing charges against Dumaguit and his cohorts and are no longer interested in getting their money back adding that all they want is justice.

As of this writing, Dumaguit still has not publicly surfaced and has not attended two successive regular sessions of the municipal council since the controversy was exposed.