ILOILO City – A male phone caller pretending to be Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. duped four restaurants in this city. He had them prepare meals yesterday for large groups of people that did not show up.
According to Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, Defensor was in Metro Manila yesterday and could not have placed the call or gather people for luncheon meetings in the city.
Was there a possibility that the scam was part of a black propaganda aimed at destroying the governor’s reputation?
Banias said he did not think so, citing a similar incident a few years ago.
He urged restaurants and other business establishments to be wary of calls from persons claiming to be Defensor or calling on behalf of the governor.
Immediately make verifications with the Office of the Governor, said Banias.
The governor does not personally place orders or make reservations for provincial government-organized meals (breakfast, lunch or dinner) for guests, he stressed.
Four restaurants were victimized by the impostor yesterday – Salt Gastro on General Luna Street, City Proper; Spring Palace at Smallville Complex, Mandurriao district; 7 Fishes Restaurant in Mandurriao; and Ocean City on General Luna Street, City Proper.
A bartender of Salt Gastro personally reported the scam to the Office of the Governor yesterday. It was she who took the call and order of the impostor, she told Banias.
The order supposedly for 22 persons were placed around 1:30 a.m., said the embarrassed bartender who feared she would be made to pay for them (P12,970 for the food and P3,000 for the drinks).
The bartender, who asked not to be identified, said the male caller also asked her to “load” the conman’s mobile phone number (09672017470) and several others (09994043494, 09756102871, 09308187998, 09506973352, and 09756269556).
The “load” reached P9,000, she said.
“Sang ready na ang food nag-ask ko sa iya through text if diin na sila. Waay na siya nag-reply. Didto na ko nakulbaan.Wala na gasabat. Na-modus na kami. Hambal ko na-scam gid ko,” said the bartender.
She described the caller as authoritative, persistent and impatient, and this got the better of her.
According to Banias, the three other restaurants reported similar experiences yesterday./PN
