The Pasay City police arrested three scammers who posed as First Lady Liza Marcos' personnel to milk millions of pesos from their victims.
Interviewed on Dos Por Dos on Thursday, March 14, Lt.Col. Jose Joey Arandia from the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) identified one of the three suspects as Franciso 'Isko' Juano.
"Siya ang nagpapakilala na kaibigan ng First Lady. May kasama siya dalawa na security niya. Sa mga oras na 'yon kasama ang complainant na makipag-usap sa kanya kaya nagkaroon ng operation against sa kanya at nakuhanan ng video," he said.
Lt.Col. Jose Joey Arandia, CIDG-NCR: Ang nadampot natin, si Franciso Juano, siya ang nagpapakilala na kaibigan ng First Lady.#DosPorDos#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) March 13, 2024
LIVE:https://t.co/heasvA9xZL pic.twitter.com/HtT6sZAgGO
Based on the information obtained by DZRH, PNP-CIDG director PMGen. Romeo Caramat said the three were caught in an entrapment operation in Diosdado Macapagal Blvd. Pasay City.
According to Arandia, the entrapment operation was launched after an individual came forward to complain that Isko and his companions Joselito and German threatened to shut down their businesses if they did not give ₱5 million.
"Humingi ng pahintulot sa opisina ng ating First Lady sa Malacañang para tanungin ang katotohanan. Nang sabihin na walang katotohanan, gumawa kami ng entrapment operation," he said.
The PNP-CIDG official said they are also investigating if more individuals fell into the fraud and if these scammers were directed by someone higher than them.
Isko, Joselito, and German are now facing robbery extortion charges before the Pasay Prosecutor's Office.
