Woman arrested for selling fake government IDs

CEBU, Philippines — In a continued crackdown on falsified government IDs, the National Bureau of Investigation Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-CEVRO) has apprehended a 29-year-old woman allegedly involved in printing and selling fake Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) TIN cards and PhilHealth IDs.

The suspect, Verlyn Subrian, a resident of Barangay East Poblacion, Naga, Cebu, and a mother of two, was arrested during an entrapment operation on September 24 at around 6:30 PM.

Panilag had been advertising the sale of these falsified IDs through a Facebook page, admitting to having completed several transactions.

According to NBI-CEVRO Regional Director Atty. Rennan Augustus Oliva, the suspect had been engaged in this illegal activity for quite some time and had developed a customer base.

“In fact daghan na siya'g suki and she is using the social media platform to promote her illegal business,” said Oliva.

In an interview, Subriang revealed that she had been involved in this line of work for two years. She explained that the blank counterfeit cards were supplied from Manila and delivered to Cebu for her to sell.

She cited financial difficulties and the need to support her young children as her reasons for engaging in this illegal activity.

Meanwhile, BIR-7 Legal Division Officer Atty. Isaac Darcera III urged the public to obtain legitimate TIN cards directly from their office or through their official website.

Darcera also highlighted the differences between real and fake TIN cards, noting that a fake BIR TIN card already has a QR code embedded even if the card is still blank, which, when scanned, directs to the main BIR website.

Darcera also explained the differences between real and fake TIN cards. Fake BIR TIN cards already have a QR code embedded, even if the card is still blank. When scanned, this QR code directs to the main BIR website.

In contrast, original TIN cards do not have a QR code before issuance. The QR code is generated simultaneously when the owner's details are printed. Upon verification, it displays personal details such as the TIN number and the date of issuance.

“Whoever bought their cards from somebody else not from BIR, you can check it yourself, do the QR code here and I'm sure it will link you to the BIR website, definitely that’s a fake TIN card,” said Darcera.

 Oliva highlighted that these fake documents have allegedly been used in crimes related to POGO and other criminal activities across the country. This includes foreigners using Filipino names to conduct transactions within the Philippines.

Subrian was subjected to inquest proceedings and will face charges for violations of Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and Articles 171 and 172 of the Revised Penal Code, which pertain to the falsification of public documents. (CEBU NEWS)