Ex-DENR official runs charity scam

A former Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official who also posed as an active military reservist is facing allegations of running a fraudulent charity that allegedly scammed investors of millions of pesos with promises of government-backed projects and humanitarian initiatives.

She would come to meetings in a decorated military uniform, complete with medals and ribbons, projecting the authority of both a public servant and a military officer.

To many of her associates, she appeared to be someone with deep ties to the government who could open doors, secure permits and advance high-level development projects.

But that image is now at the center of serious complaints filed by at least three businesswomen who accused her of estafa, fraud, and misuse of a military uniform, with incidents allegedly linked to transactions and meetings held in Quezon City, including at Camp Aguinaldo.

In separate interviews with DAILY TRIBUNE, the complainants described a consistent pattern: introductions framed as humanitarian or civic work, followed by appeals for financial support tied to supposed development projects, indigenous community programs, and land-linked “ex-deal” arrangements.

“You think you can just take people’s money without consequences? We worked hard for that,” said the first complainant, who revealed she lost millions of pesos in various transactions with the official.

Another complainant recalled transferring at least P1.2 million between 2023 and 2025 for outreach and community projects that never materialized.

“I expected the projects to push through. I know processes take time, so I waited. But by 2025, I realized nothing was real,” she said.

A third complainant lamented investing P685,000 in what she believed was a legitimate development in Rizal province, expecting to live near the proposed project site eventually.

“I never thought it was a scam. Not until I was told it was,” the complainant said. (To be continued)