'Illegal Coast Guard recruiter' arrested in Parañaque City

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard commandant CG Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan has ordered the arrest of an alleged illegal recruiter in Parañaque City on Friday.

Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, in a statement on Saturday, said that the arrest was made following a report from one of their aspiring applicants.

The said recruiter, a certain Lowell Ace Dalnay, was reportedly offering "assistance on the Coast Guard nationwide recruitment application in exchange for money on 04 April 2024."

"The PCG immediately coordinated with the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Southern Police District (PNP-CIDG SPD) for the conduct of an entrapment operation," said the PCG.

"Upon confirmation of the payment transaction, the PCG-PNP team immediately apprehended the suspect."

The operation resulted in the arrest of Dalnay in Parañaque City, who was said to be posing as a PNP intelligence officer.

Over P40,000 in boodle money was confiscated from the suspect and was immediately brought to the PNP-CIDG SPD for booking and filing of appropriate charges.

The PCG earlier warned the public of fake recruitment announcements online, especially through the Facebook page PRC Board and Exam Results.

For swift and appropriate measures, the PCG encouraged the public to report illegal recruiters to the Coast Guard Human Resource Management Command grievance desk at 0929-314-1684.