Lt. Col. Alexie Desamito shows trove of evidence.
TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija – More criminal charges were levelled against the Korean businessman and eight Filipinos earlier caught for social distancing violation after authorities recovered from them alleged fake dollar bills and materials for counterfeiting money, a ranking police official said Friday.
Lt. Col. Alexie Desamito, town police chief, said charges for violation of Article 166 of the Revised Penal Code (Forging treasury or bank notes) and Article168 (illegal possession and use of false or forged treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit) were filed against the suspects who are now detained at the police custodial center here.
Joseph Kim, 55, a Korean national and his companions identified as sisters Rosemarie Yap, 53, and Fely, 55, both of Sto. Tomas, Pampanga; Christopher Francisco, 43, of Bacolor, Pampanga; Butch Dayrit, 55, of Mabalacat City; King George Apiado, 42, of Angeles City; brothers Wilfredo Agdeppa, 37, and Oliver, 43, ofNueva Ecija; and Aladdin Abian, 44, of Puerto Prinsesa City, Palawan, were arrested at Bagong Silang checkpoint for violating social distancing rule under Republic Act 11332.
They were on board a van (conduction sticker YV 8695) when flagged down past 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Desamito said they found the bills of different denominations as well as powder and gold metal plates reportedly used in producing counterfeit dollars and two bags of black dollar notes.
The evidences, Desamito said, were brought to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Currency Issue and Integrity Office in Diliman, Quezon City for technical examination.
“Nag-issue na rin po sila ng certification na yung sample na kinuha nilang gold dollar bill ay fictitious and yung ibang dollars counterfeit,” she said.
Kim would only said he cannot understand questions when asked by the media.
Abian, on the other hand, said all the things recovered from them were his “own collection” he allegedly inherited from his forefathers in Palawan.
