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Three prominent opposition figures running in the 2022 elections have been targeted by scammers who made bogus grocery and food delivery orders under the names. 

Presidential aspirant and Vice President Leni Robredo, her running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan, and reelectionist Senator Risa Hontiveros separately reported being victimized by scammers who ordered thousands of pesos worth of grocery and food items using their names and office addresses.

On Monday, November 22, someone pretended to be Robredo and ordered over P100,000 ($1,974) worth of groceries from online shop MetroMart. Robredo and her staff at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) were surprised when three delivery riders arrived at the office on Monday for cash-on-delivery orders. 

Robredo was able to return the grocery items with no hassle due to MetroMart’s return policy. None of the delivery riders were charged for the fake orders.

Screenshots from VP Leni Robredo and senators Kiko Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros

The Vice President called out the scammers, saying their actions burden the riders and personal shoppers who processed the bogus orders.

“Baka akala ng scammers ‘yung burden nasa amin. Hindi iniisip na kinakawawa nila ‘yung riders saka ‘yung mga shoppers nila na nabiktima. Umuulan pa naman kahapon and nabasa sila,” said Robredo in a Facebook post on Tuesday, November 23. 

(Maybe the scammers think the burden was on us. They didn’t realize that they actually victimized the riders and the shoppers. It was even raining yesterday and they got soaked.)

Her running mate Pangilinan was also victimized by another scammer on Tuesday, when his office at the Senate received an email notifying them that over P95,000 ($1,875) worth of food items from Rare Food Shop was ordered under his name. 

It was also made under a cash-on-delivery basis, but Pangilinan’s office was able to flag the fake order before the groceries were sent to his address. 

“Fake po ‘yung order. Buti na lang hindi pa na-deliver. Pakiusap po sa mga gumagawa nito. Hirap na po ang ating mga kababayan sa pandemya. Huwag nang manloko pa,” said Pangilinan in a statement. 

(The order is fake. It’s a good thing it wasn’t delivered yet. I appeal to those behind this, our countrymen are already suffering due to the pandemic. Do not fool them.)

Hontiveros, who is part of the Robredo-Pangilinan’s senatorial ticket in 2022, was also targeted by a scammer who ordered P17,500 ($345) worth of extra large spicy lechon from Rico’s Lechon.

She received an email from the restaurant saying she must pay for the order made under her name via bank transfer. 

“May bagong modus ang mga gustong manira sa atin. Magpapanggap na ako at mag-oorder ng nakapangalan sa akin at sa address ng opisina ko. Kawawa ang mga negosyante, mga empleyado, at mga delivery riders na inaagrabrayado,” said Hontiveros in a Facebook post. 

(Our detractors have a new modus. They would pretend to be me and make an order under my name and the address of my office. This is an inconvenience to business owners, employees, and delivery riders.)

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The offices of Robredo, Pangilinan, and Hontiveros are now probing into the identities of the scammers for possible legal action. – Rappler.com

*$1 = P50.67