ANGELES CITY — Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has issued a stern warning: Don’t use the name of the city government for your own benefit.
This, as a suspect was nabbed in an entrapment operation on Jan. 29, 2024 for an alleged ghost housing project located at Phase 9, Barangay Pulung Cacutud.
This stemmed from a complaint of Daniel Pascua of Porac town for alleged usurpation of authority, falsification of public documents, robbery extortion/estafa against the suspect, Jessel Vitente of Cutud, who allegedly claimed she was an employee of the city government.
Vitente is currently facing these charges.
Pascua sought the help of the city government and the Angeles City Police Office Station 3 regarding Vitente.
Vitente allegedly offered Pascua a housing project, where he paid a processing fee of P2,300 and a monthly amortization of P1,499.
Upon noticing that the documents issued by Vitente were allegedly fake, the complainant went to the City Hall to verify if the suspect is affiliated with the Angeles City Human Settlements and Urban Development (formerly known as Local Urban Poor Affairs and Housing Office or LUPAHO).
He also checked the legitimacy of the alleged project and documents he received from Vitente.
The ACHSUD confirmed that there was no such project.
Immediately, ACHSUD reported this incident to Mayor Lazatin. Mayor Lazatin learned from the Human Resources and Management Office that Vitente was only affiliated with the city government from July 1, 2019 to October 5, 2023 under the Civil Security Unit.
Records of the Angeles City Anti Drug Abuse Council also showed that Vitente did not comply with the city government’s mandatory drug testing, and was therefore terminated.
“Not in any way is she still connected with the city government,” Lazatin stressed.
“We do not tolerate such act. Hindi po natin hahayaan ang ganitong paggamit sa pangalan ng siyudad sa mga walang katotohanan na gawain,” Mayor Lazatin furthered.
Thereafter, Mayor Lazatin ordered ACPO to investigate the report and help the alleged victim, where an entrapment operation was conducted to arrest the suspect.
All the pieces of evidence were already turned over to the ACPO Station 3.
According to the report, there are five other victims of the alleged fake project.
“Kinokondena ko po ang ganitong klase ng gawain, wala po itong lugar sa ating administrasyon,” Mayor Lazatin said.
Mayor Lazatin is reminding Angeleños that all official projects and announcements from the city government will be posted and updated via the Facebook page of Angeles City Information Office.
He also urged Angeleños to immediately report suspicious activities which involve the city government.
