Government agents have arrested a woman for allegedly claiming to be a sister of the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago and a consultant of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.
The NBI identified the suspect as Myrna Rosales Velez who was applying for an NBI clearance at the NBI headquarters in Manila when she was arrested by the elements of the NBI-Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division on Monday.
NBI arrests woman claiming to be a sister of former senator Miriam Santiago, consultant of DOJ Sec. Aguirre. | @virgillopezpic.twitter.com/YS82X9e8sV
— GMA News Breaking (@gmanewsbreaking) May 31, 2017
A complaint received by the NBI said Velez pretended to be Atty. Paula Dimpna Beatriz Palma Defensor.
The NBI said the female complainant met Velez at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in July last year when she was following up a case against her.
The 65-year-old Velez then offered her legal services by introducing herself as the sister of the late senator and a consultant of Aguirre.
According to the complainant, Velez even appeared as her legal counsel in her pending cases before the San Mateo, Rizal Regional Trial Court Branch 76 and the Quezon City RTC Branch 87.
The complainant said she has paid up to P580,000 to Velez as attorney's fees.
The complainant, however, found out from Justice Undersecretary Raymund Mecate that there is no Atty. Defensor working as consultant for the DOJ.
A staff of the former senator also confirmed to the complainant that Atty. Defensor is living abroad.
Velez is now facing charges for estafa and usurpation of authority.
NBI records also show Velez has pending cases for swindling and illegal recruitment. —NB, GMA News