The Philippine Navy (PN) has stood by Lt. Jessa Mendoza, a junior officer cleared of allegations that she was an incorporator of around 193 companies, several of which were found to be illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
In a statement released late Wednesday, PN spokesperson Commander John Percie Alcos affirmed the navy’s support for Lt. Mendoza, noting she worked to prove her innocence and clear her reputation.
“As we take cognizance of the apparent commission of identity theft implicating the name of Lt. Jessa Mendoza — a PN junior officer of good repute — as director or incorporator in several companies involved in offshore gaming activities and other businesses during the ongoing Senate inquiry, the PN affirms our support to our fellow serviceman in her resolve to prove her innocence and clear her reputation,” Alcos said according to local media reports.
Mendoza had earlier appeared before the Senate Committee on Women and Children’s investigation on POGOs to vehemently deny being the incorporator of these spurious companies. Alcos stated that a formal internal inquiry has been initiated in coordination with Lt. Mendoza to shed light on how her name was wrongfully associated with this issue.
The PN spokesperson also noted that the navy can “attest” to Mendoza’s untarnished record during her decade of honorable service, and that she always upholds the “core values and highest standards of being a respectable naval officer.”
Alcos took the opportunity to call on all personnel and the public to be vigilant and take precautions to prevent themselves from becoming victims of identity theft, which they stated appears to be the case with Lt. Mendoza.
