It’s not only delinquent employers, but also individuals intending or already committing fraud against Social Security System who should be warned as the campaign against violators of the agency further intensifies.
Just recently, a woman was charged in Naga City for posing to be a beneficiary of deceased SSS members in order to obtain their funeral and death members
The Regional Trial Court in Naga City found Merly Solano Balquin guilty of fraud. This was also the verdict laid down by the Municipal Trial Court.
In 2001, Balquin posed as Rosita Buena, mother of Cesar S. Buena, Jr. who died in 2001. She repeated this act to obtain the death and funeral claims of Cesar Buena, Sr. who also passed away three year later.
According to SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Dooc, “Malinaw na layunin ni Balquin na dayain ang SSS sa pamamagitan ng pagpapanggap nang dalawang beses para lamang mapakinabangan ang mga benepisyo ng SSS. Ikinalulungkot namin na may mga taong gagawa ng ganoon para sa kanilang kapakinabangan kahit na ang dulot nito ay pasanin para sa SSS at sa mga tunay na benepisyaryo.”
For this violation, she was charged with violation of RA 8282 or Social Security Act of 1997. She was sentenced to six months of jail time and a fine of Php 500.
For posing as the wife of Buena, Sr. to get the deceased’s benefits, she was found guilty of violating Article 172 of the Revised penal code which was she sentenced to another six months of prison time and fine of Php500.
Balquin pleaded guilty to her charges and even gave back the SSS death claim, but it was too late for her.
Let this be a lesson to those violating SSS rules and policies.
