Outgoing ACT-CIS Party-list Representative and senator-elect Erwin Tulfo has taken up the cudgels for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and senior citizens who fell victims to estafa.
Specifically, Tulfo asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to help the OFWs and the elderly who were duped of their hard-earned savings.
During the meeting between Tulfo and NBI Director Jaime Santiago at the NBI headquarters in Pasay City, the congressman said he had received numerous complaints from such people, and that they don't know how to run after those who swindled them.
“Ang problema kasi ng mga OFWs natin hindi nila alam papaano habulin ang suspek dahil limited ang araw nila sa bakasyon dito sa ating bansa (The problem faced by our OFWs is that they don’t know how to go after the suspect because their vacation time in the country is limited),” said the incoming senator.
“Ang mga seniors naman na naloko ay mahina na rin para habulin o hanapin ang mga nag-estafa sa kanila (As for the seniors who were scammed, many of them are already too weak to pursue or track down those who committed estafa against them),” Tulfo explained.
Santiago encouraged OFWs and senior citizens, who were victims of such scams to immediately report the crimes to their office.
“Bukas po lagi ang opis namin sa mga OFW at senior citizens na naloko ng mga sindikato at itinakbo ang kanilang ipon (Our office is always open to OFWs and senior citizens who have been deceived by syndicates and had their savings stolen),” Santiago said.
“Magtutulungan po kami ng opis ni Senator Erwin para matugunan ang mga problemang ito ng OFWs at seniors (Senator Erwin’s office and ours will work together to address these problems faced by OFWs and seniors)," added the NBI chief.
Santiago assured Tulfo that there's a way to capture or run after these fraudsters at the soonest possible time.
Tulfo said that once the Senate reconvenes for the 20th Congress in July, he would file a bill to impose a punishment of life imprisonment to anyone who would swindle OFWs and senior citizens of their money.