The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) has arrested a former staff member of the First Family for allegedly demanding kickbacks in exchange for securing government contracts.
According to an ABS-CBN News report, the suspect, identified as Simeon Sanger dela Cruz III, was apprehended on Thursday afternoon at a hotel in Pasay City based on two arrest warrants for estafa.
According to PNP-CIDG chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III, Dela Cruz solicited commissions ranging from 3 to 5 percent to facilitate government projects. He reportedly used his past connection with the First Family and falsely claimed to hold an undersecretary position to convince his victims.
Torre revealed that Dela Cruz previously handled IT and social media tasks for the First Family but later misrepresented himself to offer government contracts for a fee. The police official added that complaints had been filed by individuals who were scammed out of millions of pesos.
The Office of the Special Envoy for Transnational Crime (OSETC) under the Office of the President flagged Dela Cruz’s activities to authorities, leading to his arrest.
When taken into custody, Dela Cruz was found wearing a formal barong, reinforcing his deceptive image. Torre described him as a “typical scammer” who used photos taken at official events to bolster his false claims.
Dela Cruz was released on Friday morning after posting bail of P90,000. This marks the second time he has been granted bail for estafa charges.
Torre urged the public to be cautious and report similar fraudulent activities, warning that the government does not tolerate such schemes.
Just two weeks ago, the PNP-CIDG also arrested a gubernatorial candidate in Guimaras who allegedly posed as a relative of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to defraud individuals seeking government contracts.
