Police arrest counterfeiter, fake money worth P3 million seized

CEBU, Philippines - At least P3 million worth of fake peso and dollar bills were seized by police from a 65-year-old man in an operation in Barangay Kasambagan last Monday night.

The suspect, Richard Uy, also yielded machines and other equipment used in making counterfeit P1,000 and 100 US dollar bills.

He was arrested before for manufacturing fake money but was released on bail.

Uy fell in a buy-bust operation conducted by personnel of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch led by Chief Insp. Aileen Recla around 8 p.m.

Cebu City Police Office director Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, Jr. said they received a tip about Uy’s counterfeiting activity two weeks ago.

Natu-el said they then set up the entrapment operation, stressing there are complaints about counterfeit bills reaching them.

“In fact daghang nadakpan sa una but gipangbuhian ra kay in good faith ang ilang pagkadawat sa kwarta. Wala sila kahibaw na peke diay,” said Natu-el.

The IDMB operatives arranged a supposed transaction with Uy and acted to buy 20 pieces of fake P1,000 bills from the suspect. They rushed near to a makeshift house that served as the manufacturing area.

Uy was arrested as soon as he handed over the fake bills to the operatives, who then raided the makeshift house.

Seized inside were a stamper, computer monitor, printer and metallic foil, among others.

“Mao ni iyang panggamiton inig manufacture sa fake bills. Inig init sa stamper, i-seal niya ang metallic foil ngadto sa printed bill,” Natu-el explained, referring to the copper-colored round icon in the P1,000 peso bill.

The CCPO director said Uy operates alone.

“Mag-manufacture ra siya depende kung may mo-order,” said Natu-el.

Some of Uy’s fake bills are reportedly smuggled into neighboring countries like Malaysia. The fake peso bills are then converted into ringgit.

Among those recovered yesterday were several pieces of ready-made P1,000 bills equivalent to P800,000 and several uncut peso bills and $100 bills amounting to over P2 million, said Natu-el.

He disclosed that each fake P1,000 bill is sold from P90 to P200 and once it is circulated in the city, particularly in Kamagayan, the value increases to P200 to P250 each.

Police also recovered several fake driver’s licenses, diplomas, SSS identification cards, and transcript of records.

Arrested before

Uy has been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation-7 for the same illegal activity in November last year. But he gained temporary liberty after posting P20,000 bail.

Natu-el said Uy did not resist arrest but tried to bribe them.

“Kaya daw mi niya patukoran og office ug tagaan daw mi niya og intelligence fund. Unya unsaon man paggamit nga peke man,” said Natu-el.

Since this has been their biggest haul, Natu-el said Uy’s arrest will lessen the circulation of fake bills in Cebu.

The suspect admitted to manufacturing the fake bills but denied manufacturing fake documents.

He also denied selling counterfeit bills to politicians during the May elections.  Natu-el said representatives from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will visit CCPO to give tips on how to identify fake bills.

In April, the CCPO warned the public against fake P1,000 and P500 bills being circulated in Cebu as the election drew near.

Comendador warning

 Cebu Provincial Police Office director, Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, warned the public on the possible proliferation of fake money in Cebu in time for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October.

Comendador said there may have been distribution of fake money in the province although they haven’t monitored any manufacturers.

“Ang distribution lang ang maabot sa province pero wala mi na-monitor nga manghimoay,” he said. — With Ria Mae Y. Booc/LPM