Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
Filipino maid jailed for stealing S$217,000 from Singapore employer
Philippines
National
Filipino maid jailed for stealing S$217,000 from Singapore employer
Filipino maid jailed for stealing S$217,000 from Singapore employer
By Trixee Rosel
Published Jul 24, 2026 10:20 am
Singapore State Courts. (Photo courtesy of SG Courts)
A Filipino domestic helper was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for stealing more than S$217,000 (around P9.5 million) in cash and jewelry from her Singapore employer over several years.
Raguindin Alma Bassig, 47, admitted to two counts of theft by a servant, while three similar offenses were taken into consideration during sentencing.
She brought the stolen money and jewelry to the Philippines, where the proceeds were allegedly used to acquire condominium units, vehicles, and farmland.
Trust betrayed
Bassig had been employed by the same Singapore family since March 2016 and was granted unrestricted access to their home, including the employer’s bedroom, where a safe was kept inside an unlocked wardrobe.
In 2022, she discovered keys hidden inside a coat pocket and allegedly used them to open the safe and take cash in various foreign currencies and jewelry.
The stolen items included luxury jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari, as well as gold, jade, and silver pieces, with the jewelry alone valued at about S$77,851.
Bassig allegedly returned to the safe in June 2024 and took more cash and jewelry, including 12 gold bracelets, two 24-carat gold necklaces, two 999 pure gold coins, and a princess-cut diamond jewelry set worth around S$18,000.
Investigators found that she brought the stolen cash and jewelry to the Philippines during her home leaves, converted the foreign currencies into Philippine pesos, and sold, pawned, or kept the jewelry.
Theft caught on camera
The thefts were discovered after the employer noticed in November 2025 that some of her valuables were missing.
The employer later installed a motion-activated camera in her bedroom on May 27, 2026, after becoming suspicious.
Two days later, the camera captured Bassig opening the safe and taking more valuables.
The employer reported the incident to police, leading to Bassig’s arrest shortly after midnight the following day.
The employer told the court that she was devastated by the betrayal after trusting Bassig for more than 10 years.
She said she had allowed Bassig to return to the Philippines every year instead of once every two years under their employment agreement and had also paid for her airfare so she could spend more time with her young children.
Some of the stolen jewelry were family heirlooms inherited from the employer’s mother-in-law.
At one point during the hearing, the employer shouted, “Shame on you, Alma!” while Bassig appeared via video link.
No compensation ordered
Court documents showed that Bassig earned S$1,200 a month and received an annual bonus of S$2,000 but had accumulated debts after borrowing money from fellow domestic workers and loansharks.
The prosecution did not seek a compensation order because Bassig said she had no money left, although separate confiscation proceedings may be pursued to recover assets allegedly purchased using the stolen funds.
The judge described the theft as substantial and said the recovery of the missing cash and jewelry remained uncertain.
Under Singapore law, theft by a servant is punishable by up to seven years in prison, a fine, or both.