ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Authorities have detained a man accused of falsely claiming he survived the recent building collapse here and receiving financial assistance intended for victims.
According to the Angeles City Police Office, the suspect gained attention on social media after claiming he was near the structure buying beer when it collapsed. His account was convincing enough for him to receive aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development on 27 May.
The deception unraveled when he returned to seek additional assistance. Authorities became suspicious and launched a verification process that revealed he was never inside the building, was not a resident of Angeles City, and had no connection to any of the victims or missing persons.
Faced with the findings, the suspect allegedly admitted he fabricated the story to take advantage of the situation. He is now in police custody and may face charges related to fraud and deception.
Mayor Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II condemned the act, describing it as an exploitation of a tragedy that has already claimed lives and displaced families.
“This is a very painful incident that has deeply affected many families. A lot of people have suffered and continue to suffer because of this tragedy,” Lazatin said.
“What we need right now is empathy, honesty, and understanding — not exploitation,” he added.
The local government urged the public and media to verify information before sharing it online, warning that scammers and opportunists may attempt to exploit the ongoing crisis.