A man was arrested in Mandaluyong City after he allegedly offered fake doctorate degree certificates in exchange for up to P300,000.
According to a report by John Consulta in 24 Oras, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Anti-Fraud Division personnel arrested the suspect, identified as Jonathan Navea, after handing him P160,000.
He was arrested in an entrapment operation at an establishment in the said city.
According to the complaints of Navea’s victims, the suspect allegedly offered them a PhD honorary degree and awards in exchange for P60,000 to P300,000 per person.
However, they discovered that the doctorate degree offered to them was fake.
“In-offer-an niya ako ng award for a fee. And then after that, in-offer-an din niya ako kung gusto ko raw maging Doctor of Humanities. ‘Yung binayad ko rito is worth P60,000. Tinawagan ko talaga ‘yung university, doon ako nagulat na hindi pala siya authorized na magbigay ng award,” said complainant Raymard Gutierrez.
“Hindi namin alam ay P240,000 pala at ‘yun pala ay bayad sa aming honorary doctorate in Business Administration at accredited daw sa Singapore,” said another complainant Baby Go.
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Man offering fake doctoral degree certificate worth P300K arrested
But the suspect insisted that he was not doing anything wrong and that his accusers were just taking revenge.
“‘Yun ay kabayaran ng sponsorship, hindi investment, hindi ito scam, it is more of recognition. I’ve been doing this for the past 42 years, how come ngayon lang? Malinis po ang konsensiya ko,” said the suspect.
“Maglalagay lang sila ng tarpaulin, tapos merong kaunting seremonyas, iaabot ‘yung certificates. Pagkatapos conferment na raw ‘yun. Nag-verify din ang NBI from the Commission on Higher Education and according to CHED, ang nagko-confer lang na ina-allow nila na higher education institutes ay iilan lang sa Pilipinas. Asia Pacific University na nakalagay doon sa certificate is not among those accredited. Dalawa ang nag-certify na hindi totoo ‘yung certificate na ino-offer nitong ating subject,” said Palmer Mallari, chief of NBI Anti-Fraud Division.
The suspect is facing charges of estafa and falsification of private documents.
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