ILOILO – The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has issued a stern warning to delivery personnel against fabricating robbery reports after an investigation revealed that two workers lied about being held up in Tubungan town.
Colonel Bayani Razalan, IPPO director, said those who file false reports will be held criminally liable, following the recent case involving a delivery van driver and a salesman who initially claimed they were robbed by armed men.
The two employees, identified only by their aliases “RJ” and “Rem,” claimed that two armed men with their faces covered by shirts intercepted them around 11:30 a.m. on April 3 in Barangay Teniente Benedicto, Tubungan, and took P58,300 in cash before fleeing.
However, a police investigation later revealed that no such robbery took place. Under pressure from authorities, Rem admitted that the incident was fabricated.
“I don’t want these things to happen again. Making a false report is a criminal offense,” Razalan warned.
As a result, RJ was charged with unjust vexation — a punishable act under Article 287 of the Revised Penal Code which penalizes individuals who intentionally cause annoyance or disturbance without valid reason.
The IPPO reminded the public that false declarations waste police resources and undermine public trust in legitimate crime reports./PN
