After 24-year-old Mailen Omar was arrested earlier this week at the Guimbal Public Market, Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) issued a warning to local businesses about counterfeit money.
“This is a reminder to store owners and businessmen to kindly verify peso bills so they do not become a victim of some people who are using fake money,” said PRO-6 spokesperson, Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong.
Omar was arrested after attempting to use a fraudulent P500 bill at a store operated by Rosita Garillo. In addition, the store owner claimed another individual earlier used counterfeit money to make a purchase.
According to Guimbal Police Precinct chief, Police Lt. Colonel Nelson Caro, the bills used by both perpetrators matched.
“Pareho ang gingamit ni Omar kag ang tawo nga nauna nagbakal sa store ni Garillo, meaning, mga sindikato nga ga-operate sa mga banwa-banwa para indi mabal-an nga fake ila kwarta (The bills used by Omar and the earlier individual at Garillo’s store were the same, which means, there is a syndicate operating across different localities so locals don’t know their money is fake),” he surmised.
However, Malong said they are not currently monitoring local syndicates using counterfeit money but confirmed there are cases involving the use of fake bills.
“Based in our intelligence monitoring, may ara gid man nga naga-operate pero indi gid daku nga sindikato, mga magagmay nga mga grupo (Based on intelligence monitoring, there are counterfeit operations but they are done by small groups),” she explained.
The PRO-6 official said they are continuing to investigate the case.
Omar is currently detained at the Guimbal Police Precinct on charges in violation of Article 168 of Act 3815, or the Revised Penal Code.
The section details penalties associated with the “illegal possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit.”/WDJ