3 charged for selling fake government IDs

MANILA, Philippines — Criminal cases were filed against three persons who were arrested in Quezon City and Zamboanga for allegedly selling fake government identification cards, the police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) reported yesterday.

ACG director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang said complaints for falsification of public documents in relation to Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, were filed against the suspects.

In Quezon City, a 19-year-old woman was arrested on Feb. 9 for selling fake Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) IDs on Facebook.

The suspect, whom the CIDG identified only as Marie, has been under surveillance for three weeks after cybercrime investigators saw her offering bogus PhilHealth cards to netizens for P180 to P480.

Police conducted an operation against Marie after PhilHealth informed the ACG that she is not authorized to sell IDs of the state health insurer.

The suspect was nabbed by police in Barangay Novaliches Proper.

Apart from PhilHealth IDs, the suspect also yielded three counterfeit tax identification number cards.

Yang commended the CIDG personnel for their swift action.

“These fake IDs can be used to register SIM cards and facilitate fraudulent activities. We encourage the public to report cyber-related crimes to authorities so we can act promptly and create a safer cyber environment,” he said.

Another operation in Barangay Cawa-Cawa, Zamboanga City led to the arrest of two suspects known only as Chan and Nica.

The suspects yielded several fake government IDs, which they were selling for up to P600.

When interrogated by police, the suspects admitted that they have completed 20 transactions since they started the scheme.

ACG spokesperson Lt. Wallen Mae Arancillo said the clients of the suspects could be using the fake IDs in online scams and other illegal activities.

“They can also use these IDs in creating social media accounts,” she told reporters.

Authorities urged the public to refrain from buying counterfeit government IDs.