Man with fake US dollar bill arrested

An alleged member of a syndicate behind the proliferation of counterfeit United States dollars in Cebu was charged before the court yesterday after he was apprehended by the personnel of a hotel along Pelaez street.

Marichu Caballero, 22, front desk personnel of Golden Valley Hotel, assisted by security guard Elmer Solario apprehended Peter Emmanuel Tubu, 29, of Hermag Village in Mandaue City, after he gave a counterfeit 100 US dollar bill as his down payment for a hotel stay.

But the suspect may not stay behind bars during the pendency of his case in court as his alleged offense committed is under Article 168 of the Revised Penal Code that only requires an accused to post a P3,000 bail bond.

Caballero said she was at the front desk at 10:45 pm when Tubu approached and signified his intention of checking in at the hotel. When Caballero informed Tubu of the hotel's policy that requires down payment from their clients, Tubu readily handed to her a 100 US dollar bank note.

But when Caballero examined the bill using an ultraviolet light, she found out it was fake that prompted her to call the guard to have Tubu arrested.

She also recalled that Tubu was the same person who victimized her on June 12, by successfully convincing her to change his 100 US dollar bill with the Philippine currency in the amount of P5,200.

When asked by the police where he got the counterfeit dollars, Tubu refused to give a categorical answer.

An official of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has confirmed that the 100 US dollar recovered from Tubu "is not genuine."

A few years ago, a joint team of police and BSP operatives raided a printing press along Sikatuna street for illegally manufacturing counterfeit bills.

The raiding team that time confiscated several boxes of counterfeit bills. The case is still pending before the court.