Police arrested a man who allegedly introduced himself as a survivor of the recent building collapse in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City. Authorities discovered a falsified identification card during an investigation on Friday, May 29, 2026.
The man was arrested following an incident at the command post near the collapsed building along Oak and Teodoro Streets, where police officers have been assisting in maintaining peace and order and securing the area while search, rescue, and recovery operations continue.
The Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) said a construction site timekeeper identified the suspect as the individual seen in a viral video receiving financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after allegedly misrepresenting himself as one of the survivors of the tragedy.
The confrontation occurred while families of missing and unrecovered victims were gathered near the site awaiting updates on their loved ones. Emotions reportedly intensified after the alleged deception was brought to light. Police officers intervened to prevent the situation from escalating and escorted both the suspect and the witness to the police station for investigation.
During the questioning, the suspect presented a driver's license as proof of identity. However, investigators noticed apparent irregularities in the document, prompting authorities to seek verification from the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Police said charges for falsification of public documents under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code are being prepared against the suspect.
Brigadier General Jess B. Mendez, PRO-3 director, lauded the responding officers for their vigilance and professionalism. “At a time when families are dealing with uncertainty and grief, it is important that we preserve order, protect the integrity of ongoing operations, and ensure that assistance reaches legitimate beneficiaries. The alertness of our personnel enabled us to immediately address the situation and take the appropriate legal action,” Mendez said.
Angeles City Mayor Carmelo ‘Jon’ Lazatin II, for his part, reiterated call for the public to exercise caution and refrain from sharing unverified information on social media. "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. What we need right now is empathy, honesty, and understanding, not exploitation," said Lazatin.
