NBI nabs Parañaque maid in P1.8-M theft

A 49-year-old house maid was arrested in Quezon City by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) over the weekend for allegedly stealing P1.8 million in cash from her employers.

An NBI report said the money was recovered from Ramona Avila, though she had already spent P17,000 out of the loot to rent a room that apparently served as her “safe house” on Arayat Street, Cubao.

A native of Samar province, Avila worked for a family at Multinational Village, Parañaque, who reportedly ran a money-changing shop.

The family reported the theft on May 29, citing Avila’s suspicious movements in the house as recorded on security cameras prior to her disappearance. But the NBI said it was apparently not the first time she had robbed an employer.

An initial investigation showed that Avila managed to rent a room unknown to her employers even while working as a “stay-in” helper for mostly affluent households, the bureau added.