The Roman Catholic diocese for men and women in uniform has warned the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines that a “fake” priest has been defrauding people using the former’s name.
The Military Ordinariate of the Philippines identified one Fr. Aries Aguilar as a suspect in the alleged fraudulent activities.
MOP Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio said Aguilar is not connected with the diocese overseeing the religious needs of the Catholic members of the Armed Forces, the National Police, Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Burea of Jail Management and Penology and Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
In a letter to the CBCP dated 21 October, Bishop Florencio said Aguilar is “not an ordained priest of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, and he has never been connected with us ever since.”
“Any claims and/or transactions he enters into using our name is therefore fraudulent and anomalous,” the bishop stressed in the letter attested to by MOP acting Chancellor Fr. Harley Flores.
The MOP urged the clergy to inform them of any transactions involving the person.
“Please notify this Office for further assistance and for any legal actions to be undertaken, if necessary,” it added.