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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider NBI arrests woman 'for victimizing distressed OFWs'

NBI arrests woman 'for victimizing distressed OFWs'

Published Oct 14, 2025 11:41 am
A woman has been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Mandaluyong City for “victimizing” distressed Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in their claims for government assistance.
The NBI identified the woman as Mary Jocelyn V. Balubayan who was arrested during an entrapment operation conducted last Oct. 10.
After Balubayan’s arrest, she was charged before the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office with estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
“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 said that 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.
It added that the barangay in Quezon City confirmed that the certificates were spurious.
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