P.4 million fake bills seized in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Three persons were apprehended yesterday for allegedly manufacturing counterfeit peso bills in Sampaloc, Manila.

Paolo Guevarra, 35; Francis Tuwalya, 27, and Haron Mangudatu, 34, were arrested during a raid led by Mayor Isko Moreno, representatives of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and operatives of the Manila Police District Special Mayor’s Reaction Team headed by Maj. Rosalino Ibay.

Authorities said over P400,000 fake bills were confiscated during the operation.

The raid was conducted based on a search warrant issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Thelma Bunyi Medina for forgery of bank notes.

Ibay said the suspects were previously arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation for manufacturing counterfeit P1,000 bills and government documents such senior citizen identification cards, certificates of land titles as well as Land Tranportation Office blank forms.

The suspects are also facing drug charges after the raiders seized marijuana leaves and drug paraphernalia at the scene.

Police said they are tracking down two cohorts of the suspects who eluded arrest.