2 African tourists, one Filipina nabbed over fake US bills

MANILA, Philippines - Two tourists from Africa and their Filipina companion were arrested by the Makati Police on Sunday for possession of 193 pieces of fake US dollar bills inside a hotel in Barangay Poblacion.

Chief Inspector Gaylord Tamayo, deputy chief of the Makati Police Criminal Investigation Division identified those arrested as Philip Millimono, alias Fredan Sharpe, 36, a tourist from Guinea; Harryson Dash, 25, a tourist from Liberia; and their Filipina companion, Maria Psyche Ken Domasian, a guest relations officer at the Wowow Bar located in Burgos St., Barangay Poblacion.

Tamayo said the three suspects were nabbed inside room 203 of the Shills Philia Hotel at about 12:30 a.m.

Prior to the arrests, Tamayo said hotel guests complained to the hotel's staff about a nauseating smell coming from the suspects' room.

Tamayo said the suspects ignored members of the hotel's staff who came to check their room and refused to open the door. It was at this point that the hotel's owner, Susan Lee,  asked for assistance from the nearby Makati Police Sub Station 6.

When policemen arrived at the suspects' room, the suspects still refused to open the door, prompting the responding police officers to ask hotel manager Gilbert Remiendo to open the door using a duplicate key.

When the door was opened, the police officers saw bricks of what appeared to be  US$100 bills scattered on the room's floor. They also saw the suspects holding several bundles of what appeared to be US$ 100 bills.

Recovered by police from the room and the suspects were seven bottles of glue, four paint brushes, a stamp pad and a stamp with the "US" mark, 193 pieces of suspected fake US$ 100 bills. The seized bills were later sent to The Bangko Sentral.

The seized bills were verified to be fakes by the Bangko Sentral, said Tamayo.

Tamayo said the suspects are detained at the Makati Police headquarters while charges of malicious mischief, alarm and scandal and forgery of treasury and bank notes are being readied for filing against them before the Makati City Prosecutor's Office.