The Philippine National Police (PNP) issued a warning on Thursday, June 18, 2026, to residents in earthquake-affected areas in Mindanao about individuals pretending to be officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
PNP Chief Orders Crackdown on Impersonators
In a statement, PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. announced that he has directed an increase in police visibility and coordinated operations following reports of scammers exploiting disaster-stricken communities by posing as government inspectors and project evaluators.
“There is a special place in hell for these people who take advantage of the situation in Mindanao for their personal gains. But right now, our focus is to identify all of them and haul them off to jail,” Nartatez said.
Arrests Made in Davao City
On June 14, operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) apprehended two women in Davao City for allegedly introducing themselves as DPWH officials conducting inspections in areas affected by the powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Sarangani on June 8.
Nartatez stated that the suspects were reportedly inspecting infrastructure projects and engaging contractors in transactions involving payment approvals.
Rising Cases of Impersonation Scams
The DPWH has reported an increasing number of similar incidents across the country, where individuals falsely claim to be agency personnel to gain access to projects and vulnerable communities. Nartatez emphasized that all concerned police units have been instructed to coordinate closely with other law enforcement agencies to identify and arrest those behind the scheme.
The PNP chief also ordered a thorough investigation into the expanding modus operandi of impersonation scams targeting government infrastructure programs.
