3 women fall for faking documents for death claim

CEBU, Philippines - Three women were arrested after for falsifying documents to get the “death benefits” of an alive 66-year-old woman, whom they made to appear as already dead.

Eva Gomez, Remedios Germoso, and Sevena Barriga were arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-7 inside a bank in Danao City at 10 a.m. yesterday.

The management of the Fairbank, Inc. located in Poblacion, Danao City sought assistance from the CIDG-7 to arrest the suspects who reportedly prepared the needed documents for the death claim of Luciana Gomez, a resident of Barangay Cabungahan.

Chief Insp. Rene Kyamko of the CIDG-7 said the suspects’ arrest came after Eva, daughter-in-law of Luciana, was able to get P50,000 as part of the P100,000 death claim of the Kaabag Program where the latter is a member.

Retired police officer Arturo Pacifico, chief security officer and representative of the bank, said the suspects filed before their office the needed documents last April 8 and claimed the death benefits yesterday.

They were able to furnish a copy of the certificate from Barangay Guinacot certifying that Luciana was already dead. They were also able to furnish a death certificate stating that she died of cardio-pulmonary arrest with severe hypertension and were also able to submit a photo of a dead person inside a coffin who they claimed as the victim.

Eva however said in an interview that a woman just approached them two weeks ago and told them to cooperate with her in exchange for P10,000 each. She said the woman was the one who prepared the documents.

“Lain kaayo akong gibati karon. Kung mahibaw-an ni sa akong mga anak, ambot lang. Mapatay g’yud tingali na sila,” Luciana said crying.

Kyamko said they will file a case for estafa through falsifying documents against the suspects who are now temporarily detained at the CIDG-7 detention cell.