NBI collars 2 persons for fake dollar bills

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation has recently arrested in Manila during an entrapment operation two men who sold to a bureau agent, posing as a buyer, almost 400 pieces of fake United States dollar bills.

NBI Interpol chief lawyer Claro de Castro Jr. identified the two arrested suspects as Warlito Madrid Jr., of legal age, Filipino, resident of Pasong Kawayan 2, General Trias, Cavite; and Felecito Briones Jr., of legal age, Filipino, and resident of Area I, Barangay Libho, Parañaque City.

The two have been charged before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office with violation of Article 168, of the Revised Penal Code, as amended (Illegal Possession and Use of False Treasury or Bank Notes and Other Instruments of Credit).

The two suspects are now detained at the NBI jail in Taft Ave., Manila.

Investigation showed that on April 26, NBI Special Investigator IV James Sherill Tosoc, of the NBI Interpol, received an information regarding a syndicate led by a certain Roel Santos, alias Ka Imo, who are involved in the production, distribution, and sale of fake US and Philippine currencies.

Tosoc, who posed as a buyer, together with an asset, were able to test-buy two pieces of $100 bills with the same serial number HB19240883L from Madrid and another suspect named Jun Salagumba. The dollar bills, when examined, were fake.

The NBI then conducted surveillance, intelligence gathering, and planned an entrapment operation together with the Investigation Division, Cash Department, of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Certification from the BSP disclosed that the two dollar bills were fake.

On May 26, at around 1:30 p.m., NBI agents met with Madrid and Briones inside Times Plaza, on United Nations Avenue, corner Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila. BSP representatives were also near the vicinity for a possible buy-bust operation.

Madrid and Briones were selling 384 pieces of fake $100 bills to the NBI agents for a price of P400 each.

Upon handing the four bundles of fake dollar bills, containing 384 pieces, and receiving the marked money from the NBI agents posing as buyers, the two suspects were immediately arrested.