National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents have arrested a woman in Mandaluyong City for allegedly defrauding distressed Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in their efforts to claim government assistance.
The suspect, identified as Mary Jocelyn Balubayan, was apprehended during an entrapment operation conducted on Oct. 10.
She now faces charges of estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, filed before the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office.
“The case stemmed from information received by the Department of Migrant Workers-Operation and Surveillance Division (DMW-OSD) that Subject Balubayan and her cohort, Nialmo A. Lovina, have been victimizing OFWs who were distressed and are eligible to claim assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the DMW,” the NBI said.
At the same time, it also acted on reports that Balubayan and Lovina “have been engaged in ambulant chasing (or ambulant soliciting/chasing) at the DMW office.”
It also said that several complainants have been enticed to obtain a certificate of indigency from Balubayan and Lovina reportedly issued by Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City.
It added that the two suspects demanded P1,000 from the P5,000 DSWD cash assistance and 15 percent from the DMW assistance of P50,000 in exchange for the certificate of indigency.
The Barangay Certificates of Indigency were found to be falsified, the NBI said.
The barangay in Quezon City also confirmed that the certificates were spurious. (Jeffrey Damicog)
