Impostor nabbed in DOTr-LTO franchise processing scam

A 37-year-old man is now behind bars for large-scale cybercrime estafa and impersonating a government liaison coordinator for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) with the use of a falsified document.

Peejay Giganto Durano, single and a Muntinlupa City resident, introduced himself on May 22 of this year to complainant Rholand Dindo Gantiga Sioson, a businessman from Valenzuela City, as a Liaison Officer from the Office of the President with a special letter of endorsement bearing the forged signature of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista.

Durano convinced Sioson that he can facilitate the processing of the latter’s application for a franchising business, specifically the licensing and registration of motor vehicles with the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

With his fake credentials, Durano was able to fleece Sioson for about P405,000 supposedly as the required processing fee, which Sioson sent to him through a bank transfer.

Durano later asked for an additional P100,000 from Sioson which he said was for the release of a department order for the latter’s LTO franchise.

Acting on Sioson’s formal complaint, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group – National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) set a sting operation and gave Sioson marked money to hand to Durano on July 31 in Susana Heights, Alabang, where the exchange was to take place.

Transportation Secretary Bautista issued a stern warning to everyone not to fall prey to scams like this because his administration does not condone any illegal activities.

According to CIDG Police Col. Hansel Marantan, Durano will face charges of violating Article 315 (“Large-scale Estafa”) in relation to Republic Act 10175 (“Cybercrime Prevention Act”), Article 177 (“Usurpation of Authority or Official Function”), and Article 172 (“Falsification by Private Individual and Use of Falsified Document”) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Sioson presented his case to the Chief Prosecutor of Mandaluyong City, assisted by CIDG investigators Patrolmen Roberto Felipe and Jodar Capati. Four PNP officers based in Camp Crame – PMSg Arcadio Manganas Jr. of the Forensic Group; and PSSg Jeck Ryan Olarte, PSSg Jerome Vicente, and Patrolman Jericho Dela Cruz of the CIDG-NCR Regional Field Unit (RFU) – handled the booking documentation and disposition of the case.

CIDG, the primary investigation arm of the PNP, is tasked with investigating and prosecuting all crimes involving economic sabotage and other large-scale crimes that may be committed by highly placed or professional criminal syndicates or organizations.