By Brian Campued
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is studying possible legal actions against an individual who allegedly pretended to be a survivor of the building collapse in Angeles City, Pampanga in order to get government aid.
In a press release Saturday, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD – Disaster Response Management Group said that they will not tolerate any attempt to divert limited resources intended for real victims of the tragedy.
On the early morning of May 24, a nine-storey under-construction building in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City collapsed, trapping dozens of workers beneath layers of concrete and steel bars. The death toll was tallied at six, as of May 29.
“Mahigpit pong ipinapaalala ng DSWD na ang tulong ng gobyerno ay nakalaan para sa mga tunay na biktima at nangangailangan. Ang sinumang mapatutunayang nagsinungaling o nagpanggap upang makatanggap ng ayuda ay mananagot po sa ilalim po ng ating mga umiiral na batas,” Asec. Dumlao said.
According to the Angeles City Police Office, the individual falsely claimed that he was buying beer at a nearby store when the structure collapsed.
“Initial investigation revealed that the same person was even able to receive financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development last Wednesday (May 27),” the Angeles City Information Office said.
“Suspicion arose after he allegedly attempted to claim additional assistance, prompting authorities to verify his identity and background,” it added.
Further investigation confirmed that the person was neither a resident of the area nor connected to the construction site or to any of the victims of the incident.
Meanwhile, a total of P916,782.50 worth of assistance has been provided by the DSWD to the 152 identified individuals affected by the building collapse, based on the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Communication (DROMIC) report as of 6:00 a.m. of May 30.
The assistance includes hygiene kits, ready-to-eat food packs, family food packs, as well as P10,000 cash relief assistance for qualified beneficiaries.
The DSWD, through its Field Office 3 (Central Luzon), also provided psychosocial interventions and other forms of support for survivors and bereaved families.
“Alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at sa pangunguna po ni Secretary Rex Gatchalian, patuloy po ang ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa local government unit ng Angeles City at sa provincial government ng Pampanga upang matiyak na mabilis at maayos na naihahatid ang ayuda at iba pang serbisyo sa mga naapektuhan ng insidente,” Asec. Dumlao said.
-jpv
