2 African tourists held for fake dollars

MANILA, Philippines - Police have arrested two African tourists and their Filipina companion for alleged possession of fake US dollar bills inside a hotel in Makati City.

Nabbed were Philip Millimono, alias Fredan Sharpe, 36, from Guinea; Harryson Dash, 25, from Liberia, and their Filipina companion Maria Psyche Ken Domasian.

The three were arrested inside Room 203 of Shills Philia Hotel in Barangay Poblacion at around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, Chief Inspector Gaylord Tamayo, deputy chief of the Makati police’s Criminal Investigation Division, said.

Prior to their arrest, Tamayo said hotel guests complained about a foul smell coming from the suspects’ room.

He said the suspects refused to open the door when employees of the hotel checked their room, prompting Susan Lee, owner of the hotel, to seek help from the nearby Makati police sub-station 6.

Responding police officers recovered from the suspects bogus $100 bills, bottles of glue, paint brushes and a stamp pad.

The seized bills were turned over to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, police said.

Charges of malicious mischief, alarm and scandal and forgery of treasury and bank notes are being readied against the suspects before the Makati City prosecutor’s office.