CEBU, Philippines — Just over a month after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detained someone allegedly involved in producing and selling counterfeit government documents, the bureau arrested another individual also allegedly involved in dealing with fake IDs.
The suspect, Romel Gonesto Panonce, 29, from Barangay Alaska-Mambaling, Cebu City, was arrested last Monday in Barangay Santo Niño, Cebu City. He was caught reselling and delivering Bureau of Internal Revenue Tax ID Number cards and even Philippine Statistics Authority birth and death certificates.
The joint operation involving the NBI and the Bureau of Internal Revenue-7 was carried out to curb the alleged spread of counterfeit BIR TIN cards that were being offered, transacted, sold, and delivered online.
Panonce’s arrest came after Del Rosario Loctor was also apprehended last August 9 for having a fake BIR TIN card. Loctor revealed that he had only been directed to deliver the card by a man from Barangay Mambaling.
During the operation, the NBI conducted an online transaction, posing as buyers purchasing two BIR TIN cards for ?300. When Panonce arrived to deliver the items he was promptly arrested by the agents.
During the operation, several items were seized, including BIR TIN cards, Land Transportation Office driver’s licenses, PSA birth and death certificates, PhilHealth Cards, National IDs, and Unified Multi-purpose IDs.
The NBI has filed charges against Panonce for violations including Computer-Related Forgery under Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and Articles 171 and 172 of the Revised Penal Code, which pertain to the Falsification of Public Documents.
The NBI operatives and BIR-7 warned the public and those involved in such activities to surrender any fake government cards to avoid charges related to the use of falsified documents.
They also advised the public to remain cautious and only conduct transactions with authorized personnel in government offices
Additionally, the NBI-7 clarified that Panonce’s arrest is not connected to a previous case involving a woman in Talisay City who was also engaged in producing and selling counterfeit government IDs. However, this case underscores the ongoing issue of larger networks of resellers and printers operating illegally. — BRP (CEBU NEWS)