(Eagle News) — The Philippine National Police has warned the public against what it said was a “poser” of PNP Chief Debold Sinas who uses his name on Facebook to engage in swindling activities.
Citing Sinas, according to the PNP, the Facebook account with the name Debold Sinas and with the URL https://www.facebook.com/debold.sinas.33 was not the PNP Chief’s.
“That’s not me, I do not have a personal webpage or social network account except the official PNP webpage at www.pnp.gov.ph and the official PNP Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pnp.pio which are the only authorized platform(s) for social network correspondence with the Chief, PNP,” Sinas said in the PNP statement.
PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group’s Police Brigadier General Marvin Manuel Pepino said the people behind the account were active via messenger: The suspect communicates directly with victims who ask favors, and which the suspect promises to fulfill in exchange for money.
According to Pepino, the bogus account had an earliest public posting on November 25.
Its latest public posting was on December 12.
The account has only three public photos including the standard photo of Sinas for command activities and the donning of ranks in the Malacañang Palace with President Rodrigo Duterte, Pepino said.
The PNP said the PNP-ACG is now in the process of securing a Court Order for Warrant to Disclose Computer Data for Facebook, Telecommunication Companies (TelCos) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) based on complaint affidavits of victims or their legal representatives.
He said the creator and owner of the fake account may be held liable for Computer-Related Identity Theft under RA 10175 and for violation of Article 315 of the Revise Penal Code for swindling.
“The use of Chief, PNP’s name, photos and other items appearing to be attributed to his person was apparently a devious act by unscrupulous individuals using the social media to malign the PNP top leadership,” PNP spokesperson Ildebrandi Usana said.
He also advised the public “to be prudent, discerning and judicious (about) everything they see in the social media.”
“Some of the things seen in social media do not anymore reflect the truth and legitimacy of the information and tend to destroy the reputations of innocent individuals,” Usana said.