Six individuals were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for allegedly running a syndicate that sold government positions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliament for millions of pesos.
Under the direction of NBI Director Judge Jaime B. Santiago (Ret.), operatives from the Special Task Force (STF) and Cybercrime Division (CCD) conducted a sting operation on January 2, 2025, at the Manila Hotel.
This led to the apprehension of Diahn Sanchez Dagohoy, Bolkisah Balt Datadacula, Alejandro Barcena Lorino Jr., Ronald Joseph Catunao, Leomer Abon, and Tita Natividad for syndicated estafa and usurpation of authority.
The suspects allegedly offered BARMM parliament seats to a complainant for ₱15 million, falsely claiming ties to the First Lady.
They assured the complainant that successful appointees would be sworn into office on January 3, 2025. The syndicate further misrepresented themselves as employees of the Office of the President.
A certification from Malacañang confirmed the suspects had no affiliation with the Palace, debunking claims of high-level connections.
