The Department of Social Welfare and Development sought to warn the public after accounts impersonating department Secretary Rex Gatchalian surfaced on social media platforms.

These accounts were said to be soliciting for funds from different users which would then be used as a donation for foundations that the department is supposedly connected with.

Aside from pretending to be the DSWD secretary, some accounts have also pretended to be one of his staff using the same approach of asking for money.

Gatchalian has openly denied ever using these platforms for solicitation and warned the public against scammers using his likeness to trick victims through a post on his Facebook account last 14 February.

“I wish to clarify that I have never and I will never ask for donations or solicit any sort of amount for a supposed donation to any foundation,” his post read.

DSWD Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao echoed Gatchalian’s message as she clarified that the department would never use such means to ask for donations.

“In this age there are many people that use technology for scams and trickery, let us be cautious about impostors of the Secretary specially through Signal and Whatsapp applications, where his image, name, and contact number,” Dumlao explained in Filipino.

She also urged the public to report these types of incidents to the DSWD’s official Facebook page or any nearby field offices for immediate action.

The impersonation or the usurpation of authority is recognized as a serious criminal offense under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code.

Criminals charged with the violation of this law are set to face between six months up to four years of imprisonment.