Counterfeit ring busted

A major dollar counterfeiting ring operating in Manila and Quezon City was believed to have been busted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with the arrest of its alleged leader and two cohorts and the seizure of thousands of fake dollar bills and bank notes.

Arrested in separate operations were Rustico Cabillar, 46, of Sarmiento St., Novaliches, Quezon City, the alleged ring leader; and his cohorts Marnelli Pepino, 22, also of Sarmiento St., Novaliches, Quezon City; and Jose Rogando, 43, of 2655 Extension, Tondo, Manila.

The arrested suspects and the fake US dollars and bank notes seized from them were presented to President Arroyo in a surprise press conference at the NBI headquarters.

According to the NBI, prior to the arrests, they had received information from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) about a syndicate allegedly involved in the selling of fake dollar bills. Further sleuthing by the NBI led them to Cabillar who allegedly enticed Rogando to sell several fake dollar bills in $100 denominations for only P600 each. Rogando in turn, offered to sell the fake dollar bills to an undercover NBI agent. The poseur-buyer and Rogando agreed to meet last Wednesday for the sale of 150 pieces of fake dollar bills. With the deal set, the NBI then planned the entrapment operation.

Last Thursay, NBI and BSP agents arrested Rogando while allegedly in the act of receiving marked money in exchange for the 150 fake bills from an undercover agent along Mabolo St., Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Upon questioning, Rogando pointed to Cabillar as allegedly the brains of the operation. Yesterday morning, NBI and BSP agents, together with Rogando, then proceeded to Cabillar’s house in Novaliches where Cabillar was arrested as soon as he received the marked cash from Rogando. Also arrested by agents was Pepino who was also at the house at the time of the raid.

Also seized at Cabillar’s house were voluminous fake federal reserve notes, fake Wells Fargo certificates, thousands of pieces of fake $100 bills, transparencies, printing equipment and a personal computer.

The suspects are now detained at the NBI jail as charges for violation of Article 168 of the Revised Penal Code or the possession of counterfeit money, are now being readied against them.

President Arroyo said the seized counterfeit cash and bank notes were the biggest hauls so far. She also urged the NBI to continue its efforts to crack down on various white-collar crimes.