DILG zeroes in on ex-PNP official to crack pension scam

The Department of Interior and Local Government is zeroing in on a "former" Philippine National Police official who may help crack a "ghost pension" scam in the police force. DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo declined to name the former police official, who he described as having key connections to other players in the mess. "Hindi [siya] ang mastermind [nguni't] isang tao na parang directly involved doon, identified na. Kailangan mahuli siya para maituro kung sino pa ang mga involved," he said in an interview on dwIZ radio. The DILG supervises the Philippine National Police (PNP). Robredo described this former PNP official as having left the service "long ago," but having maintained contacts with insiders at the PNP. "Sigurado [na nakikinabang pa ito], at ang aming [suspetsa] baka may kasama sa loob; imposibleng walang kasama sa loob," he said. For now, he said they are reconciling their records and files to avoid delaying payments for legitimate beneficiaries. Meanwhile, Robredo said he has ordered the PNP to strictly limit withholding of payments only to "doubtful beneficiaries." Earlier, Robredo said PNP "ghost pensioners" had robbed the government of around P1 billion since 2006. He said the PNP spent between P200 million and P250 million a year since 2006 on dead employees and on persons who are not even in the police force. — LBG, GMA News