Ex-CBCP head warns faithful vs. fake email using his name

The Archbishop of Cebu served as head of CBCP from Dec. 1, 2011 to Nov. 30, 2013. (File Photo By User:Patrickroque01 – Taken using my own camera with model DSC-HX5V, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — Former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Jose Palma has warned the faithful against those who are using his name in asking for financial assistance through email.

Palma said he was informed by friends that his email has been hacked and used by unscrupulous individuals to ask for money from people.

He noted that the bogus email, which was also received by Church-run Radio Veritas, is reportedly asking for USD1,350.

“Hello this is Abp. Palma, by this time I am in Catanduanes because I attended the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Bishop Manolo delos Santos. Just now, I received from friends telling me that my e-mail was hacked as if I was in Ukraine asking for money, it is not true,” he said in a radio interview Friday.

“So anybody who might have heard that Abp.

Palma is in Ukraine asking for money because for one reason or another, that’s a hoax.

And so I appreciate the friends who told me just now,” the archbishop said.

The supposed reason for asking for money was that his credit card was declined.

Also included in the email is the account number of a money transfer company (Money Gram) and a scanned copy of Palma’s passport, to make it appear that the message is from the archbishop.

Palma noted that such an act is immoral and illegal.

“Well, you know, some people can use certain ways to ask for money or whatever purpose which is immoral and illegal,” he added.

The Archbishop of Cebu served as head of CBCP from Dec. 1, 2011 to Nov. 30, 2013.