The Pontificio Collegio Filippino (Pontifical Filipino College) in Rome on Wednesday warned the public against an unscrupulous e-mail from a hacked account purportedly soliciting money to pay for the hospital bills of former Manila archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.
The Archdiocese of Manila Office of Communications reported that Fr. Gregory Ramon Gaston, rector of Pontificio Collegio Filippino, informed the office regarding the e-mail being used which is under the name of a certain Dr. Ramon Ramos.
“A hacked e-mail is being used to solicit money for His Eminence Luis Antonio Card. Tagle’s alleged hospitalization in UMC De La Salle, Dasmarinas City, Cavite. The hacked e-mail containing the fraudulent appeal bears the name of Dr. Ramon Ramos from Imus, Cavite (Cardinal Tagle’s hometown),” Gaston said in a statement.
Gaston also confirmed that Tagle is in good health performing his tasks in his office at the Vatican concerning evangelization.
“Please rest assured that Cardinal Tagle is doing well in Rome, carrying out his ministry at the Vatican as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples,” Gaston added.
He reported that Tagle was received by Pope Francis on Monday noon in an audience with the residents of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino during the 60th anniversary celebration of the institution.
In 2015, Tagle’s personal email address was hacked.
In January 2020, before the cardinal flew to the Vatican for his new assignment, a fraudulent text message also circulated asking for cash donations to buy a gift for him during a supposed farewell Mass and testimonial dinner.
The public is warned and reminded that the official communications channel of Tagle is only through the Vatican and not through any private person using e-mail or social media accounts.
