PHL assures help for Pinay in foiled UAE robbery

Philippine officials in the United Arab Emirates are extending assistance to a Filipina arrested for trying to rob a money exchange establishment last week.

Ambassador to Abu Dhabi Grace Princesa confirmed the woman is indeed a Filipina, and that the embassy is trying to help her.

"We are trying to assist her," she told GMA News in a phone call from Vienna, Austria.

But Princesa also urged Filipinos in UAE who are having financial problems to get help from the Embassy.

Princesa said the Embassy has a project called "Pinoy WISE (Worldwide Initiative for Savings Investment and Entrepreneurship) Movement," which hold monthly meetings on financial literacy seminars and will soon have a lawyer who can be consulted on Gulf laws.

The unnamed Filipina, who was wearing a veil and used a plastic toy gun, was arrested after she tried to rob a money exchange establishment, supposedly due to her debts. Investigation showed the robbery attempt occurred last Thursday.

A report on Gulf News said the robbery fell through when the toy backfired.

Investigation also showed the Filipina had been staying in the UAE illegally as her visa had expired.

Police said she had tried to disguise herself so she would not be recognized via closed-circuit television.

The Filipina confessed during interrogation she was trying to pay off a Dh140,000 debt. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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