Prominent Fil-Am leader caught in US stealing from foundation for children with cancer

A prominent Filipino-American community leader has been arrested and charged with burglary and grand larceny after he was caught on surveillance video stealing from a foundation that assists children with cancer.

 

Rene Ballenas, 50, who once served as treasurer and member of the board of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), was apprehended Monday at the New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was employed as a clerical worker.

 

He is accused of taking $7,332 worth of valuables that were either gifts for sick children or were to be auctioned off to benefit them, authorities said.

 

Items included two iPads, a fur cape, a piece of artwork, a necklace, shirts, toner, a purse and five bottles of wine.

 

None of the items have been recovered, police said.

 

The medical center has an office space in the floor building with the Children’s Cancer and Blood Foundation’s office on East 38th Street, where the alleged crime took place Sept. 1.

 

Ballenas is charged with one count of burglary in the second degree and one count of grand larceny in the third degree, according to a criminal complaint released by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

 

According to an NBC report, “investigators believe that Ballenas sent the stolen items to his native Philippines, where they were sold and he pocketed some of the cash.”

 

Detectives told reporters Ballenas admitted to them that he had been stealing from the foundation for several months, after he obtained a copy of a key to the foundation from a building locksmith and was given one mistakenly.

 

After valuables started disappearing from the office, foundation officials reportedly installed a camera that allegedly showed Ballenas entering the office with a key.

 

A female worker in the foundation told police she observed Ballenas on video surveillance removing items from the office while it was closed.

 

Ballenas was arraigned Tuesday at the Manhattan Criminal Court and remains behind bars on $10,000 bail as of press time.

 

Manhattan DA spokesman Ben Petok said Ballenas is represented by a public defender and it’s not yet known if he will hire a private counsel.

 

He is scheduled to make another court appearance Oct. 5.

 

“Ballenas is no longer an employee of New York-Presbyterian,” according to Kathleen Robinson, director of media relations of New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

 

“We have been cooperating with the authorities throughout the investigation,” Robinson said without elaborating.

 

Ballenas is listed as risk administrator in all his community profiles, but the Manhattan DA described him as a clerical worker.

 

“We have no further information,” replied Robinson when asked about Ballenas’ actual job title.

 

A native of Negros Occidental, Philippines, Ballenas unsuccessfully ran for PIDCI president last year.

 

He has held various positions in Fil-Am organizations, including president of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, Inc., and Philippine Union College/Adventist University of the Philippines Alumni Association, NY Chapter; and member of the board of trustees of PUC/AUP Alumni Association, Eastern North America Chapter (EASNAC), that is represented by 23 U.S. states sub-chapters and five provincial sub-chapters in Canada.

 

He is married with four children.

 

Ballenas’ arrest first appeared on The Wall Street Journal and NBC News website. - Filipino Reporter