Fake survivor in Pampanga building collapse arrested

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May 31, 2026 | 12:00am

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines — A man who posed as a survivor in the recent collapse of a building in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City to be able to claim financial assistance has been arrested.

The arrest came after a construction worker spotted the man at a command post set up near the collapsed structure, where families of the victims gathered to wait for developments on the search and rescue operation.

The worker confronted the suspect after he identified him as the man in a viral video posing as a survivor and receiving financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The confrontation drew attention from families of missing victims and resulted in a commotion.

Police intervened and pacified the families, who were furious upon knowing that someone was trying to make money out of the tragedy.

The suspect reportedly admitted having received financial assistance from the DSWD.

The construction worker and the suspect were taken to the police station for questioning.

During investigation, the suspect presented a driver’s license to prove his identity.

He said he was buying beer near the area when the building, which was under construction, collapsed.

However, probers noted some irregularities in the document, prompting them to make further verification.

Validation showed the suspect was not a resident in the area or connected to the construction site or to any victim of the incident.

Probers said the suspect admitted that he was not a survivor of the tragedy.

Legal raps

The DSWD has warned people against posing as disaster survivors in order to receive financial assistance from the government.

Criminal charges will be filed against any one found misrepresenting themselves as beneficiaries of DSWD financial assistance programs, the agency said.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the agency is coordinating with law enforcement authorities and studying possible legal actions that may be taken against violators.

The DSWD issued the warning following the arrest of the fake survivor.

Dumlao confirmed that the suspect was able to receive assistance from the DSWD.

A fact-finding task force has been created to determine the cause of the collapse.

Angeles Mayor Carmelo Lazatin signed an executive order creating the task force to be composed of representatives from different local and national government offices, law enforcement agencies and professional engineering organizations.

The Bureau of Fire Protection has criticized some netizens for discrediting BFP personnel who are part of the search and rescue operation.

The BFP warned the public against posting AI-generated images showing members of the rescue team smiling and dancing near the rubble.

It urged the public to be cautious in posting images on social media. — Daphne Galvez, Ramon Efren Lazaro