PASIG CITY, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday, October 8, cautioned contractors and suppliers regarding unscrupulous individuals fraudulently invoking the names of agency officials to solicit money.
DepEd revealed it had received reports of scammers using the names of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the Head of the Procuring Entity (HOPE), Executive Committee members, and other key personnel when approaching contractors.
These illegal solicitations were reportedly linked to official procurement transactions, including Notices of Award and Notices to Proceed.
“The Department categorically denies and condemns these representations as false, baseless, and completely unauthorized Neither the Secretary, the HOPE, nor any DepEd official authorizes or requires suppliers, contractors, or bidders to give money, make deposits to private accounts, or provide any payment or consideration in connection with any government contract,” DepEd said in a statement.
The agency advised target vendors to refrain from making any payments and to keep all documentation and communication related to the fraudulent requests.
It further instructed recipients to immediately report these instances to DepEd, the Philippine National Police (PNP), or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to facilitate necessary law enforcement actions, such as entrapment operations.
“DepEd will pursue the investigation and prosecution of any person who, upon sufficient evidence, is found to have fraudulently used the name of the Department or any of its officials,” it said.
The department emphasized that all of its official transactions and procurement activities strictly adhere to the standards of integrity, accountability, and transparency.