MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo today disclosed that the department is now looking into a multi-million peso scam involving fake pensioners in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In a media briefing at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Robredo said 2,000 bogus pension beneficiaries out of the 58,000 pensioners have been included in the PNP's database.
"Napakarami nila na hindi dapat bibigyan (ng pensyon)," Robredo told the reporters.
He said the DILG's Office of Internal Security stumbled upon the scam two weeks ago where names of non-existent enlisted members of the PNP were included in the records.
The anomaly was discovered when one of those involved in the scam squealed.
"May lumutang na Marlon Reyes, isang dating pulis, ang nahuli pero sa paniniwala namin ay may ibang mga kasama pa ito," Robredo said.
He noted that the release of the pension money has been temporarily stopped while the DILG probes into the matter.
Robredo said he has already communicated to the accredited pensioners' organization the ongoing investigation, which aims to trace the group operating the scam.
"For the 2,000 fake pensioners the government stands to lose roughly P240 million yearly," he said.
He said investigators also found out that the scam has been happening since 2006.